


A story of Chimeras

by SaphiyasRevenge



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Abusive Parents, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/M, Memory Alteration, Memory Magic, Physical Abuse, Sex, Swearing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-03
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:20:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 19
Words: 66,510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24514522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaphiyasRevenge/pseuds/SaphiyasRevenge
Summary: Born in an ancient, noble family.Blood-purity fanatic.Death-Eater.Evil.Enemy.This is what Sirius Black thought of his wife.He's reminded that appearances can be deceptive in the best way possible.
Relationships: Fred Weasley/Original Female Character(s), Remus Lupin/Nymphadora Tonks, Sirius Black/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 21





	1. Witching Hour

**Author's Note:**

> For this work, I decided to alter some of the events told in the book or the movies; some are heavily non-canon.  
> Anyway, I decided this character deserved some love too, so enjoy!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Conflicted by your hurt  
> So let me share your pain  
> Convicted for my church  
> I was born in flames
> 
> Addicted to my fate  
> Watch as I devour  
> Convicted for my faith  
> This is the Witching Hour
> 
> (In This Moment)

Another excruciatingly boring day at Grimmauld Place had finally ended, and Sirius was enjoying a glass of firewhisky on the sofa, when the fireplace gleamed with lime green flames and Remus walked in, followed by Sirius’s cousin Dora

<<Hi, Pads. Rough night?>>

The black-haired man snorted

<<The usual; I can’t really throw parties in here>>

At his words, Dora smiled

<<Well, good thing we’re giving one ourselves!>>

<<Come again?>>

Remus laughed, shaking his head amusedly

<<What Dora meant is that the other members of the Order are coming here>>

A grin forced its way onto Sirius’s face, but it was halted by a sudden thought

<<All of them?>>

Again, the other man chuckled, this time at his friend’s behaviour

<<Not Snivellus>>

<<Good>>

Dora clapped enthusiastically, stepping toward the kitchen

<<Better make this place presentable then, Siri!>>

<<Don’t make noise and wake up the harridan!>>

Before going out, the woman rolled her eyes. Sirius was about to follow her when his friend halted him

<<Padfoot, there is a caveat for tonight>>

With slitted eyes, he inquired

<<Do I need to worry?>>

<<More or less… There’s a member of the Order who’s coming tonight that kind of has a story with you…>>

<<Who is this guy?>>

<< _She_ is a woman, my friend>>

Sirius winced, jumping to conclusions

<<Not one of my flings at Hogwarts, I hope?>>

<<I can’t really call her that, but…>>

<<Spit it out, Remus; you’re confusing me>>

<<It’s your wife, Pads>>

<<My what?>>

<<Your wife. Well, ex-wife, seeing as you jilted her like the dog you are>> The sandy-haired man replied good-naturedly; his companion, though, was anything but happy at his statement

<<Kiyrah? What the hell, Moony? What is she doing with the Order?>>

<<You’ll see, Pads; you’ll see>>

A groan met his attempt to comfort, and the shorter man made his way to the kitchen in search for more liquor

<<I’m not nearly drunk enough to face that spoiled brat>>

Dora eyed him pointedly

<<Do not cause a scene, Sirius; we need all the help we can get, and Remus says this Kiyrah is actually a very nice person>>

<<Oh yeah, sure. She’s an unpleasant little slimeball, that’s what she is; I can’t stand the sight of her>>

<<Well, you will, for the sake of the Order, and Harry>>

<<Is there anything I don’t do for the sake of the Order these days?>> Sirius spat venomously; Remus sighed, patting him on the shoulder

<<Think about your godson, Pads; do it for him>>

<<He doesn’t even know her>>

<<Oh yes, he does; and he likes her. So bite the bullet and put on a brave face; it’s only for a few days, and you’ll be too distracted to notice>>

<<Days?! Oh, great… Well, at least it’s not Snivellus. Any other fabulous surprises for tonight, Moony?>>

Remus froze for a moment, as though he did not know how to respond to that question; Sirius began to grow suspicious. By the time the taller man answered, though it had been just a few seconds, the shorter one had smelled blood in the water: he was hiding something from him. How dire was this piece of information, since he had not spared him the news that his harpy of an ex-wife would be joining them in the evening?

He shuddered at the thought

<<You’ll see, Pads; you’ll see…>>

Remus’s enigmatic statements only worsened his doubts; and that was why, even as he greeted guests -Arthur, Molly, their children, Moody- Sirius was raking his brain on what the secret could possibly be for his best mate to feel the need of staying silent.

The only thing that was clear was that it concerned the harridan his parents had made him marry.

The disgust he felt as he recalled her could only be matched by what he experienced when he met Snivellus, or simply heard him speak. Damn, he did not know who was worse between the two.

He had never liked Kiyrah, not even for a moment: she was snotty, stupid, arrogant, peevish, and a firm supporter of blood-purity; as he’d often comment, she was on the right path to turn into a carbon copy of his own mother. Fortunately, he had cut ties with her before he could actually witness such a transformation.

That had been an extra blessing that came with running away from home.

How his heart yearned for the good olden days, when everything was better… When he actually felt happy

<<Mooncake!>>

His blood froze in his veins; his back was to the fireplace, so he couldn’t physically see her, but he knew it was her. Although, her voice didn’t sound quite the same…

<<Hello, Sassy Chip. How are you?>>

<<Oh, you remember!>>

<<Of course I do, Kir>>

Finally, he forced himself to turn around; the sight his eyes were met with knocked the breath out of his lungs: Remus was hugging a woman, whose face he couldn’t see yet, but he could imagine it. Why on Earth were they so close? She had never met him! What the hell was going on?

With the tail of his eye, he spotted Tonks frowning in the corner as she watched the man she loved embrace a complete stranger like she were a sister; ah, then his cousin did no longer enjoy the idea of meeting the infamous Kiyrah, now did she? He cackled at the irony; you’d been warned, Dora.

  
Suddenly, the two pulled away, and he could actually see her. As soon as he clapped eyes on her, he felt his jaw slacken, and was entirely certain it had hit the floor.

The lady standing next to his friend was completely different from the images his memory fed to his brain: she had loose, wavy, shoulder-length chocolate hair that framed a round face, complimented by a pair of big, ebony eyes that were surmounted by a pair of black eyebrows; there was a mischievous, joyful twinkle in those irises he did not remember at all. Her cheeks were rosy, put in evidence by the smile that curved her plump lips upwards as she talked with Remus; it was probably the brightest grin she’d ever worn. It wouldn’t surprise him if it were the first either… Rather, it wouldn’t have surprised him; now, instead…

He was surprised, to say the least; shocked; flummoxed; befuddled; perplexed… The list went on for days.

And so did her legs… He’d never seen her in anything but cumbersome dresses, like those his mother wore.

Now, there she stood in a pair of combat boots, dark jeans, and a black t-shirt; this latter piece of clothing was rather peculiar: the inscription on it, in fact, read “Some days I just don’t give a __”.

Well, that was interesting: it wasn’t every day you saw the sole scion of the proper, blood-purity fanatic Blackmour family clad in Muggle clothes, with dubious sentences on them in addition. And, if he was entirely honest, he had had a little trouble reading the script on her tee, because the fabric where the last part of it was printed was hidden by the curve of her rather big- ample… Bust.  
Now that he had surely never noticed, at all; he would have remembered if he had, obviously.

The picture he had in his mind of his wife- ex-wife had been demolished with a simple glance that lasted but a few moments: she was a far cry from the ghost-faced, flat-as-a-board snake he knew.

She had olive skin, and she had curves. Oh boy, did she have curves…

His eyes trailed down her back, stopping to her rear: where had that come from?

Was this really the insufferable wretch his parents had made him wed almost eighteen years earlier?

<<I brought you a ton of chocolate from Honeydukes!>> Kiyrah chirped, still smiling at Remus; his friend chuckled, shaking his head

<<I bet you bought two tons and gorged yourself on half the treats>>

She pushed him playfully, giggling. Sirius was more and more amazed: she knew how to laugh? Since when?

<<I didn’t buy em myself; I asked the three musketeers to do me a favour for their favourite uncle>>

Uncle?!

<<Oh yes, the pests… Where are they?>>

The woman took him by the arm and moved a little further from the fireplace; just when they were within safety distance, it blazed again, and Harry walked out; the boy, though, could barely take a step before someone else appeared, followed by another person, and another. They four tumbled to the ground in a skirmish, prompting laughter from bystanders and a face-palm from Remus and Kiyrah

<<Get your fat arse off me, dunce!>>  
<<Me? You’re the idiot who couldn’t wait a few seconds more, dumbass! It’s your fault!>>

<<Will you zip it, you numbskulls! We’re making a spectacle of ourselves!>>

<<Is there ever a time when you don’t, my dear?>>

The tussle came to a halt, and everyone, Sirius included, could take a look at the newcomers; piled up on his godson were two boys and a girl, roughly the same age as Harry. The boys were certainly twins, since they had the same dark brown hair and orbs, identical face shape and built; the girl looked like them somewhat, but had an entirely different colouring: her face was almost hidden by her black mane that had become dishevelled in the rough and tumble of their entrance, but he could see her eyes beneath the ebony curtains: they were a startling, mercury-like hue, penetrating and slightly unsettling. Also very familiar, he mused…

But he had no time to recollect his thoughts, because the three were at it once again

<<It’s not my fault, uncle Rem Rem! These two nitwits always mess everything up!>>

Uncle Rem Rem?! What the hell?

<<You’re such a tattletale!>>

<<Sod off, nincompoop!>>

<<Will you guys just quit it? I’m trying to get up!>>

Hearing that, the three finally pulled themselves together and rolled one off the other, freeing the teen that was trapped beneath them

<<Sorry, Harry>>

<<You guys are crazy, you know that?>>

<<But you love us>> The girl retorted, smirking. He chortled, hugging her

<<Yes, I do>>

While she hugged back, Kiyrah approached them, offering Harry a hand

<<Don’t act like you don’t enjoy wreaking havoc with them, you rascal>>

What the fuck? Why is she so chummy-chummy with him?

The youngster laughed, wrapping his arms around the older woman

<<I do, I do>>

<<Good. Now help them up, please; they will never get up themselves, the drama queens>>

One of the boys brought a hand to his chest, feigning hurt

<<I thought you cared about us!>>

Kiyrah let Harry go, and set her arms akimbo

<<And I’m under the impression you’d make a wonderful carpet, Evan; now get up before I start using you as such>>

While the twins stood to their feet, one of the Weasleys reached the girl and extended a hand for her to take, which she happily did; he hoisted her up, and she blushed, looking down. He was about to say something when one of her siblings barged in

<<Fredifer! Long time no see! Come to rescue your damsel in distress?>>

Their sister did not seem pleased in the least that her romantic moment had been ruined; Fred took a glance at her and cackled

<<If you don’t cut it, I’m sure Marlene will extensively show you the true meaning of distress>>

At the threat, the two all but ran away, leaving the young woman to smile at the redhead with gratitude, her cheeks still flushed

<<Thank you>>

<<No problem, Len>>

In the background, Kiyrah had clasped her hands together, gushing, as she whispered

<<They’re so cute!>>

Remus seemed taken aback, and looked at her askance

<<What happened to you? You’re not so sweet usually>>

She dug her elbow in his side

<<I’m just happy my daughter has found someone special>>

<<Daughter!?>> Sirius blurted loudly.

Everyone stared at him with wide eyes, nonplussed by his sudden outburst; everyone but Kiyrah, who rolled her eyes

<<Hello, Sirius>>

<<You have a daughter?>> He repeated dumbly, unable to wrap his head around it.

The woman snorted

<<Yes, I do. Is it so hard to believe?>>

<<Yes! You’re a soulless husk of a human being! How could you possibly raise a child?>> Remus shot him a glare, but he was too overcome to care about it.

She grimaced, as if… No, it was impossible… Had his comment hurt her?

<<Well, you tactless moron, I’m delighted to inform you that I have raised not just one, but four wonderful children>> She stopped talking, throwing a glance at the twin boys

<<Though some have turned out with fewer working brain cells>>

<<Mom!>> They shrieked indignantly, but she brushed it off, going back to glaring at the man who had denigrated her in front of everyone. He stuttered

<<F-Four?>>

<<Do you not know how to count?>>

He remained tongue-tied and pointed at Harry

<<E-Even h-him?>>

A huge smile made its way to her lips, and Kiyrah walked to the boy, pecking him on the cheek

<<Yes, even him>>

He just blinked, speechless, standing frozen on the spot.

Molly intervened

<<Well, it’s rather late, so why don’t you kids go to bed?>>

Groans met her proposition, but the teens were rather tired, so they obeyed without much fuss, walking to the staircase with her in tow

<<Marlene, you can stay with Ginny and Hermione; you girls won’t mind, right?>>

<<Not at all>> The curly-haired girl smiled at her peer, who beamed and hugged her quickly. Before they all went to their respective bedrooms, Fred approached Marlene again, took her hand in his and pressed a kiss to the back of it

<<Goodnight>>

Ron made gagging gestures, but both Hermione and Ginny slapped him on the back of the head; George gave his brother a thumbs-up, and the others grinned. The mothers of the two lovebirds were radiant, happy for their children.

Then, Kiyrah interrupted the moment

<<Shoo, shoo; off to bed you go>>

<<Fine, fine. Goodnight>>

<<Night>>

<<Goodnight>>

When the room was finally teenager-free, Kiyrah turned toward Sirius, who had yet to move

<<Now we can talk>>

Everyone took place on the couches and armchairs; Remus had to physically force his friend to sit down, as far away from the woman he was staring at as possible, of course

<<Stop looking at me like I’ve grown a third eye, you birdbrain>>

Finally, Sirius snapped; he stood up and sped toward her, coming to loom threateningly over the chair she was sitting in

<<What the hell do you think you’re doing with Harry, you witch?>>

She scoffed, not intimidated by his rage

<<I think you failed to notice this room is full of witches, Black>>

<<You know what I mean, Blackmour>>

<<It’s McGonagall now>>

He retreated hastily, as if she’d burnt him

<<Say what?>>

<<I’m Kiyrah McGonagall now>> She reiterated, not looking at him.

Anybody and everybody knew he hated being ignored, but nobody expected his next reaction.

He roughly grabbed her arms and tugged her closer, shouting in her face

<<What game are you playing, you vixen? I advise you to tread carefully because if any harm comes to my godson I’ll personally->>

<<Sirius! You should know better than to berate the only person who fought for you when you were thrown into prison!>>

The woman stopped cold, paling visibly, turning to look at Remus, who had slapped a hand on his mouth and was eyeballing her with concern, regret, and something akin to terror. Everyone else looked fixedly at the two adults quarrelling, even though the argument had momentarily stopped: in fact, the black-haired man was petrified with stupor, eyeing on his friend as though he had just revealed a huge, incredible secret- which he had

<<C- Come again?>>

To avoid herself further humiliation, Kiyrah stood up, pushing him away

<<You heard him>>

<<You- you defended me?>>

<<Do you not speak English? Does the sentence “the only person who fought for you when you were thrown into prison” have any other meaning to you?>> She snarked, actually gritting her teeth

<<But you hate me; you said it yourself->>

<<I never said I hate you>> She poked him n the chest with an accusatory finger, progressively increasing the pressure <<And you have not exactly showered me with affection either!>>  
<<You are Slytherin scum! Why would I even bother?>>

<<First of all, I’m a Ravenclaw -she seethed- and secondly, you of all people should know what it means to be judged based on your family!>>

That shut him up for good. She brushed a hand over her face, grunting

<<Well, I’m off to bed, I have a raging headache; goodnight, people>>

She fixed her eyes on her ex-husband, scowling

<<Goodnight, you dog>>

He wanted to ask how she knew about his animagus form, but words failed him at that moment

<<Can I bring you anything, Kiyrah? Some chamomile, perhaps?>> Remus offered. She shook her head

<<No, thank you; a good night’s sleep will rid me of this annoyance>> She eyed Sirius sideways with a frown

<<Too bad I can’t say the same for the other one>>

With that, she was off.

Sirius sat down; that was a lot of information to take in.

Then, he noticed everyone was staring at him with disapproval

<<What? This doesn’t concern any of you!>>

<<It does if it affects the organisation of this group>> Moody pointed out

<<You really went overboard>>

<<If you knew her like I do, you’d understand!>>

At that, Remus harrumphed, catching his attention

<<The question is, Sirius: do _you_ know her?>>

When he retired to his room for the night, Sirius was alone with his thoughts; a dangerous combination, as he was aware. In that particular instance, his mind chose to torment him with images of Kiyrah: how good she looked tonight; how brightly she smiled at Remus; how sweet and caring she was with her children, and other people’s as well

_< <Do you know her?>>_

Remus’s words resounded in his ears like a fateful mantra, while guilt and shame loomed over his head.

_< <Do you know her?>>_  
A few hours earlier, he would have said yes straight away, proceeding to badmouth about her until he had exhausted all possible insults, then coming up with new ones; but now, now that he knew what she did…

She had raised Harry with her children, as her own son, even though no one expected her to care for him.

She had fought for him when he was taken to Azkaban, holding her own convictions against the whole wizarding world that had branded him a murderer without even a proper trial

_< <Do you know her?>>_

She was totally different from what he remembered, both physically and mentally.

Had he misjudged her completely? Had he been thoroughly wrong in simply lumping her in with the rest of the pure-blood women he knew? After all, he himself was proof that not every child of an ancient and noble wizarding family turned out like his parents had hoped he would; maybe she was an exception too…

Maybe her behaviour had been the only natural reaction to his uncaring dismissal; it actually made sense, too much sense for him not to have thought of it before…

_< <Do you know her?>>_

As things stood, he would have to say no.

And it felt ridiculous, even wrong.

_“No, I do not know her; I’ve been married to her, we probably slept together at some point, I’m the one who’s been closest to her among us, and yet… I do not know her._

_Because I was blind”_

The night promised to be long and restless, as usual.

Chamomile didn’t appeal him; at least, not as much as a big bottle of firewhisky

_< <Do you know her?>>_

_“No, I don’t; but I want to”_


	2. Gorgeous Nightmare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You're such a gorgeous nightmare  
> Old habits never seem to go away  
> You make me feel brand new yeah  
> We resurrect it's like I've come back to life
> 
> (Escape the Fate)

The next morning, he descended the staircase, to find the adults having breakfast in the kitchen, even though Remus was nowhere in sight, while the teens were still sleeping. He headed straight for the stove so he could make himself some tea, but what he found was the first surprise of the day: his ex-wife had prepared two identical cups, with milk and sugar, exactly how he took it.

His heart flew in his throat and he felt his insides flutter with shame: she had paid attention. She had cared about him enough to notice such trifles.

What had he given her in return?

Nothing but insults and a cold shoulder; perhaps he was more like his parents than he thought…

<<Your parents would be so disappointed if they knew you lost even the notion that polite people say thank you when offered something>> Someone reproached him, and he immediately identified the source of the rebuke.

He spun sideways and his eyes encountered the two big chocolate orbs he saw ablaze with fire the night before; it had been uncommonly terrifying, but in a good way. And, if he was being completely honest with himself, he had also been turned on…

This woman was making him crazy without even speaking to him

<<Your mother, too, would flip out if she were to see you in those baggy clothes>>

She was wearing an oversized grey jumper and mid-calf length trousers; he thought she looked nothing short of adorable, but he came back to his senses once she shuddered

<<She’s not worth mentioning; now, do you have any more nice comments on my appearance or can I enjoy my tea in peace?>>

<<Just one>>

She crossed her arms, annoyed

<<Let’s hear it>>  
<<You look lovely, Kiyrah>> He told her sincerely.

The woman gaped like a fish for a moment, then grabbed her cup and tried to scurry out; however, before she could go, he took her by the arm. She winced, but restrained herself from screaming with a visible effort.

That simple contact thrilled him, but he knew he couldn’t linger too much

<<And thank you>>

Those two words held so much more meaning than simple gratitude for a cup of tea, and they both knew it, with no need for him to be more specific

<<You… You’re welcome>>

He immediately let her go, and she disappeared, putting distance between him and herself as if he had just told her he had the Plague.

He almost laughed out loud at the irony: he did have the Black Plague.

Molly eyed him suspiciously over the brim of his coffee

<<Sirius, leave the poor girl alone>>

<<What have I done now? Cut me some slack, won’t you?>>

<<Don’t play dumb with me, I know that expression: you’re up to something, and I’m not going to like it>>

<<Just relax, my friend; I’m not doing anything bad>>

As the black-haired man-child walked away, the woman heaved a sigh

<<That’s not for you to say, Sirius…>>

Without even thinking about it, as if his legs had a mind of their own and that mind was fixed on her -just like his actual one, for that matter- he followed her out of the kitchen and found himself into the living room.

He was just about to take a seat when he heard someone shouting upstairs, so he went to check

<<Duck!>>

Too late.

The shout resounded through the corridor where Remus was walking calmly after having woken up the flock of teenagers, and he barely managed to turn, to identify the source of the sound, before something yellow, and hard, smacked him in the face. He recoiled, rubbing a hand over the offended cheek, glaring at the woman that was running toward him, slowing down as she came within speaking distance. The fiendish, devious grin on her lips was all the answer he needed

<<What the hell, Kir?>>

She giggled

<<Sorry, not sorry>>

He rolled his eyes and crouched to pick up the object that lay at his feet, her weapon of choice.

When he saw what it was, he renewed his glare

<<A rubber duck? Are you serious?>>

She laughed uproariously, shaking her head

<<No, I’m Kiyrah; Sirius is somewhere in the kitchen>>

<<Actually, I’m here>> The man informed, barely suppressing his own laughter. Remus sighed, face-palming

<<You certainly behave a lot like him>>

Kiyrah squealed, gambolling around him

<<You mean I’m an obnoxious, childish imp?>>

<<Yes>>

Her cry of triumph drew even more attention, and a lot of teenagers came to stand in the doorway of their rooms; those who had woken up last peeped in from behind them, craning their necks and searching for empty nooks to steal a peek.

Kiyrah chuckled good-naturedly, grabbing the rubber duck from him and transfigurating it into a cupcake, than taking a bite out of it

<<Mh... I love chocolate>>

Much to his chagrin, he perked up at those words

<<Chocolate?>>

Again, the woman guffawed heartily, fishing in the pocket of her trousers for a beautifully wrapped, if tiny, treat, handing it to the man in front of her

<<There you go, Rem Rem>>

He groaned, but accepted the proffered delicacy anyway

<<I don’t like that nickname!>>

Taking a rather large bite out of her own dainty, she shrugged

<<You’d better start getting used to it, you curmudgeon; it’s not gonna go away anytime soon>>

In spite of himself, Remus smiled at her. He brought his hand to her face, slowly, and wiped some goo from her nose.

She blushed

<<You had some chocolate there>>

They laughed together

<<I’m a messy eater>>

<<You’re a child, Kiyrah>>

The woman beamed, and hugged him.

Their audience, at least the adult part of it, gasped; at some point, even Tonks had joined him, but he had noticed only now. The youngsters smiled; it was heart-warming to see her being so affectionate toward someone.

They two pulled away, but were still grinning

<<I’m just very sweet>>

<<Your jokes are not appreciated, my little Firecracker>>

She wiggled her eyebrows, nudging him in the side

<<Yeah, I’m a banger>>

Hysterical laughter met her double-entendre, but Remus just groaned, hiding his face in his hands; she kept on giving him playful digs in the ribs, not done yet with her puns

<<Come on, Mooncake. You know my jokes always _crack you up_ >>

<<Please stop>> He lamented, shaking his head in exasperation

<<Why? Am I embarrassing you?>>

<<Yes>>

<<Aw, Mooncake. How come? I’m usually so well-behaved>>

At that, he turned to give her the stink-eye, but his smile voided it of any seriousness

<<Well-behaved, my ass>>

Again, the two older spectators were surprised at the ease of the interaction between them; Remus didn’t swear, usually.

They had to be very tight-knit for him to be so... Relaxed with her.

She was clearly enjoying herself too.

What the hell was that?!

<<Oh, you’re into spanking, are you?>>

Remus laughed loudly

<<How can you turn everything into a dirty joke?>>

<<I have a filthy mind>>

<<You seem proud>>

<<Indeed I am, Rem Rem>>

<<You should be an example for your children>>

<<Oh, but I am: I show them with accuracy what to avoid>>

While the man snickered, three of the teens hiding standing by the doors bellowed in exultation and scampered to hug the woman, smiling toothily

<<You’re the best mother in the world>>

<<True>>

<<Absolutely>>

Kiyrah seemed to transform at that moment: the smirk on her face left, replaced by a genuine and loving smile, while her arms wrapped around the three fifteen-year-olds that were snuggled against her; her eyes were so full of adoration that the bystanders were stunned and couldn’t stop looking

<<You have no idea what that means to me>>

A moment of silence passed; one of the boys opened his mouth to speak, but his mother beat him to it

<<I do speak English, Evan. The literal meaning is perfectly clear, thank you very much>>

For a few seconds, no one spoke. Then the girl shouted, laughing

<<Take that, you halfwit!>>

Her brother shoved her

<<Smeg off, Marlene>>

<<Yeah, shut your gob, Harley>>

<<I don’t like that nickname, idiot!>>

James was joined by his brother in a chorus of mockery

<<Harlequin, Harlequin, stop being so mean!>>

<<James! You asshat, I’m going to get you! You too, Evan!>>

And so, a game of tag began in the corridor, and the triplets ran off to hex each other, while their mother regarded them fondly

<<They’re a handful>>

<<But I love them so much>>

Remus smiled and patted her back

<<They adore you, you know>>

She nodded softly; then, with arms akimbo, she scanned her surroundings, eyes lighting on the doorway

<<But it seems I’m missing one. Where’s my baby?>>

With a groan, the third boy walked out from behind the other members of the audience and neared the woman, smiling at her

<<I’m here>>

Her pointed gaze was replaced by a soft expression, full of understanding, and even a little panic

<<Harry, darling, we’ve talked about it: you can call me Aunt Kiyrah if you’re uncomfortable with “mom”. I will never replace your true mother, but I hope you’re fine with me and the twins->>

The boy embraced her, resting his head against her shoulder

<<I’m more than fine, mom>>

She gasped, slowly raising her hands to his head to gently ruffle his hair even more

<<I love you, darling. Now, why don’t you go play with your siblings?>>

<<Do they need any help making messes?>>

<<Your input is extensively valuable: you have troublemaker blood in your veins, after all. Besides, you even the game: James and Evan always team up against Marlene>>

Harry scoffed

<<As if Marls would even need any help: she could take all three of us without even trying>>

She snickered, and Remus nodded

<<Your tramps are brilliant, my little firecracker. But Marlene... I think she may have inherited your gift>>

<<I have had four gifts in my life. One is standing in front of me; the remaining three are off somewhere in this house wreaking havoc>>

Harry laughed and hugged her again before scurrying away to find his siblings.

Finally, Kiyrah looked at Sirius, and their gazes locked, so much that neither of them moved.

It was so weird, thinking the worst of someone for so long and then discovering they are a totally different person in reality.

Perhaps it was a good thing: he could actually fall in love with his wife, and the other way around, too

_< <Your wife. Well, ex-wife, seeing as you jilted her like the dog you are>>_

Once anew, Moony’s words echoed in his ears, giving him no rest; but there was a blossoming, if small, hope inside his heart, and he would fight for it.

For her.

* * *

While Remus and Kiyrah walked back to the kitchen, followed by the Weasley pack, the two cousins gaped at them, upright, like statues

<<Were they flirting?>> Tonks whispered

<<I don’t know; though I’ve never seen him so at ease with anyone, I have to admit>> He asserted

<<Are you not jealous? At all?>>

He thought about it: at the beginning, he had been unwilling- unable (unwilling) to put a name on the feeling, but there was little more he could do to avoid it

<<Yes, yes I am>>

<<Sirius, we must stop this>> She was frantic

<<Tell me about it, Dora>>

<<I’m going to barge in on them in the kitchen; what will you do?>>

He scratched his chin thoughtfully

<<I’m going to have a little chat with those kids>>

<<Where are they? This corridor is endless>>

<<They went back to their bedroom. Why do you want to speak with them?>>

<<I have the feeling the girl is not very fond of me, and I want to get to the bottom of this>>

They parted ways, and Sirius made his way to the room he knew Kiyrah’s pests and Harry occupied

He knocked, and someone shouted <<Come in!>>

What he saw made his breath hitch: the four teens were all cuddled together, leaning against one of their beds, happily munching on some candies.

The triplets were coming up with all sorts of tricks to palm the foul ones off on each other, and on the spectacled kid sitting with them, who was laughing his head off.

What a quartet they were: an actual family.

They stopped playing, and stared at him questioningly. He met their gazes with equal curiosity, eager to assess his godson’s playmates: two pairs of dark, chocolate irises stared back at him. Her eyes. They had her eyes.

The sight made his stomach flutter.

The girl, though, was another story: when he looked at her, he found himself once again gaping at her two clear pewter orbs, filled with so much mischief and joy that he couldn’t help but smile.

Where had he seen that very same gaze before?

Maybe in a previous life, that seemed so distant he actually doubted the truthfulness of it most of the time. He dug through his memories frantically, but couldn’t quite piece it together.

<<Hi, Sirius. How can we help you?>>

He forced himself to stop staring at the three; he’d probably weirded them out already

<<I just wanted to see if everything was ok, what with you running away, wands at the ready…>>

The boy nodded

<<Oh, by the way, let me introduce you to my siblings>>

<<I’m sure you gathered as much by now, but this is Marlene>> He hinted at the only girl in the room; she merely waved, not looking at him

<<This dumbass here is Evan>>

Said youth smacked him on the head, muttering <<You’re a dumbass>> then greeted the older man

<<And this other idiot is James>>

He had had an inkling when he heard their names the other night, but now he was certain

<<Your mother named you after my friends?>>

<<They were her friends, too>> Commented Marlene in an ornery tone.

If Sirius thought the young woman didn’t like him, now he had the proof; he chose not to address the issue though and simply sat on one of the beds, looking at the three of them, then at Harry again

<<It’s nice to know you had someone to look after you when I couldn’t…>>

Harry grinned and shrugged

<<You’re here now; but yes, it was very nice. Though I’m sure you were surprised, weren’t you?>>

He was surprised, to say the least... Rather, he was disconcerted.

She had brought him up, along with her own children, like her very own son.

Why had she done that? Neither James nor Lily had been particularly friendly to her, though that was because they were biased in his favour: he had convinced them she was a heartless shrew, on the right road to become just like his mother.

But she clearly was anything but: her children adored her, as did his godson, and his remaining best friend. There was no way it was a trick; someone would have clicked on to it.

Had he been wrong?

Or did she just hate him, and him alone?

Perhaps it had been a self-defence mechanism, shutting away completely without having given her a chance; but what if he’d messed up and lost precious years with someone he could have appreciated, liked, maybe even- Love?

He clapped eyes on Marlene again, and a sensation of cold, harsh realisation overcame him.  
There had been someone in her life; someone special, since she had had children with him. Someone who wasn’t him

<<So you had a father, too?>>

At that, his godson sucked in a breath, and the other three tensed up

<<No>>

No?

She had been alone all this time?

Maybe the fact that she upheld his innocence against everything and everyone made her an outcast: it was probable.

Yet another way she’d suffered because of him…

<<Well, biologically speaking, yes, obviously>> The girl chirped. What a smartass

<<But we never met him>>

<<Mommy... Mommy never talks about him>> Evan added

<<We’ve learned not to ask>> James spoke.

They were so on the same wavelength; he had always wanted that with his own brother...

<<It’s clearly painful for her to recall him>>

Harry told him

<<She must have loved him a lot>>

He commented, melancholy lacing his voice

<<You speak of him like he were dead>>

<<Isn’t he?>> He arched an eyebrow

<<No>>

Her brothers eyeballed her, utterly weirded out

<<How do you know?>>

She glared at Sirius

<<I feel like mommy wouldn’t want him to know>>

What a veritable smartass.

He took it as a personal attack

<<Fine, fine. I didn’t come here to invade your privacy>>

She stood up, her eyes reduced to slits, and her mouth twisted in a snarl

<<It’s our room, you jerk!>>

He rose to his feet, too, louring at her

<<It’s my house!>>

She crossed her arms challengingly

<<If you didn’t want guests in here, you shouldn’t have lent it to the Order>>

He fumed

<<You’re not guests! I didn’t know about you! You came in tow with your mother!>>

<<You have Snivellus in your house. I daresay we’re more pleasant than him>>

<<You know nothing about this! And neither about me!>>

<<I know you have it in for my mom, and I don’t like it. No one touches her>>

He snorted

<<I’m quaking with fear>>

<<You should>>

<<Marls, calm down, please->>

<<No, Harry, let her speak. She’s just like her mother, ready to lash out at people for no reason>>

The girl unsheathed her wand from her jean pocket, and held it to his neck

<<Take that back>>

Her eyes took his breath away, again; this time, they were filled with rage, just like his mother’s when she threw a fit.

There was something so uncannily familiar in her, and yet he could not pinpoint just what it was, or whom it was that she resembled…

<<I’ve spent twelve years in hell, pipsqueak. You do not scare me, at all>>

Everyone was observing them with bated breath, eyes wide and mouth agape.

Then, the unexpected happened.

She flinched, and immediately lowered her arm, stepping away and dashing out of the room.

That confused him to no end

<<What the hell is happening here?>>

That voice.

Her voice.

Everyone turned around, to find an apprehensive Remus, a shaken Marlene and a furious Kiyrah, who was holding her daughter by the forearm.

Her eyes set on him. He expected an onslaught, but she seemed distraught

<<Did she attack you?>>

<<Mom, I->>

<<Hush, missy. I want the truth>>

<<Sirius tends to exaggerate, you know>> Remus rested a hand on Kiyrah’s shoulder, concern written all over his face as he attempted to calm her, to no avail

<<He’s an adult; I expect him to have enough maturity not to lie, at least>>

He actually felt guilty

<<She raised her wand against me, but put it away almost immediately>>

Sirius half expected her to slap her daughter; that was the Kiyrah he knew and remembered.

Cold, snotty, haughty.

But the true Kiyrah, she was something else. What she actually did, was pinch the bridge of her nose and groan

<<Toddlers; I’m surrounded by toddlers>>

<<Mom, I->>

<<Marlene>>

The woman looked at her daughter. The black-haired man was amazed when he saw the love and patience in her eyes

<<You need to control yourself, darling; you can’t respond to every provocation. You really have to learn a little self-preservation>>

The girl looked down

<<I’m sorry, mom. I’m usually more levelheaded than this, you know, but he insulted you, and I->>

A hug from her mother interrupted the apology

<<Oh, honey, Sirius badmouthing about me is nothing new. Tell me something: is anything he says true?>>

<<Well, something->>

Evan shoved him, and he shut up. Marlene shook her head, looking her mother in the eyes. The woman smiled affably, booping the point of the younger girl’s nose

<<Then let him mouth off, sweetheart; mommy can handle assholes, you know>>

The four teens nodded

<<I’m standing right here!>>

<<We can see that, git. I suggest you avoid denigrating me in front of my kids in the future>>

<<Or what?>> He challenged. She scoffed

<<Or you’ll get your comeuppance, and I will not stop them>>

<<I’m not scared. As I told to your bodyguard before, Azkaban really put things into perspective>>

Much like her daughter, she recoiled at the mention of his imprisonment, and he was just as perplexed as he had been before

<<Well, off you go, you four; follow Uncle Remus to the kitchen and have some chocolate. I’ll be down in a second>>

She all but ran from the room, while the three boys happily hightailed it to the kitchen to receive their treats, followed by the older man.

Sirius stood there, puzzled, going over the recent events: Marlene had blown a fuse when he’d implied her mother was not that good of a person. That was much more passion than any of her family members had ever displayed. Rather, her attitude was very much like... His own.

Fuck.

If that kid really resembled him in character and disposition, Kiyrah was in for a hell of a ride.

A sudden knock yanked him from his chain of thoughts, and a timid voice met his ears

<<Uhm, Mr Black... Can I speak with you for a moment?>>

Marlene.

She stood in the doorway, looking anywhere but at him, wringing her hands.

What did she want?

<<Don’t call me that. Come to yell at me some more, Warrior Queen?>>

She hurriedly shook her head, stepping closer. He didn’t like seeing her so afraid of him, not at all, so he met her halfway, relieved to see she didn’t pull away

<<No. Not now, at least>>

He chortled, impressed by her spunk

<<Then what?>>

<<I... I wanted to apologise for my behaviour; it was unwarranted, and I shouldn’t have>>

He was almost disappointed that she was being so pliant. Then, she made him grin again

<<But, by the same token, I think you should give me and mum your apologies for your words on her; they were uncalled for, and untrue at best>>

<<Alright, I’m sorry. I didn’t reflect in the heat of the moment; I’ll apologise properly to your mother later. But I know her better than you think, kiddo>>

She snorted

<<I doubt that>>

As a matter of fact, it was false, and a terribly idiotic thing to say, since he’d spent a sleepless night telling himself he didn’t.

There was a pause of silence, then Marlene spoke again

<<Listen, I’m very calm and self-controlled, normally->>

He guffawed

<<Oh, yes, I saw that>>

She shoved him playfully, giggling

<<I’m just very protective of my family, particularly my mom. She made so many sacrifices for me and my brothers... I can’t even begin to tell how much I admire her, love her, respect her... She’s very important to me, and I... I lose my temper when someone disrespects her>>

He was floored by her devotion.

The kid wasn’t bad at all.

He decided to collaborate

<<I understand, pipsqueak. My mother was a real charmer, and my father... Let’s not go there. I ran away and went to live with the Potters; they were my real family. I, too, was extremely protective of them>>

Marlene gasped, fixing her big grey orbs, full of sympathy, on him

<<I’m sorry you had to go through that. I have an amazing mother, so I have no idea what it’s like>>

He smiled at her, resting a hand on her shoulder

<<Well, enough of that; shall we join your brothers and uncle before they guzzle down all the sweets?>>

<<They know better than to leave me dry; I hexed them the last time they did that>>

<<How old were you?>>

<<Three: I used mom’s wand while she was in the loo>>

He doubled over with laughter, shaking his head in disbelief

<<You’re made of fire, pipsqueak>>

<<Stop calling me that!>>

<<No. I quite like it>>

She grunted, then smirked

<<Then I will call you Mr Black>>

He gave her the stink eye, but the grin showed that he was joking

<<Don’t you dare>>

<<Will you do me the honour of accompanying me to the kitchen for a delightful meal with my barbarian brothers, Mr Black?>>

When he growled playfully, she squealed with laughter and dashed downstairs; he followed suit, enjoying the game surely more than he should have

* * *

<<Come back here, you little imp!>>

Everyone grew alarmed at his raised voice, if it weren’t for Marline chuckling in the corner.

That addled them.

As soon as he saw her, Sirius pointed his wand at her to lift her chocolate and make it float toward him; to his surprise, it stuck to her hand

<<Sticking charms; I knew you would do that, so I took precautions>>

He snorted

<<Maybe I will use one for your mouth, jackanapes>>

Marlene just smiled, flicked her wand to terminate the effect of the charm and broke a square from her bar, offering it to him.

Sirius chortled and accepted it, amongst gasps and gaping mouths; with a raised eyebrow, he looked around

<<What?>>

Evan stuttered

<<Marlene never ever gives food to anyone. Far from it, she...>>

<<She steals from other people’s plates>> His brother finished for him. Sirius chuckled

<<That’s all your mother’s genes’ fault>>

<<What now, you mongrel?>>

Again, Kiyrah appeared in the room, smiling slightly. Remus stood up immediately, handing her a cupcake, which she took gladly; he seemed a little... Well, a lot, worried about her.

Sirius was utterly flummoxed by their behaviour

<<He was saying that your children’s un-healthy appetite comes from you>>

She shrugged, cackling

<<My contribution was big, sure enough. Now...>>

She trailed off when she spotted her daughter next to Sirius, and the chocolate in his grasp

<<What the...>>

He raised his hands in surrender

<<She gave it to me willingly; no need to go all “mama bear” on me>>

<<It’s a peace offering, mommy>>

The woman looked first at Remus, who smiled slightly and shrugged, then at Sirius

<<So you two... Made up, kind of?>>

He nodded

<<Yeah, you can say that. She’s not that bad, beneath layers of “harridan” and “hateful shrew”>>

<<And he’s kinda funny, beneath layers of idiocy, filth and mangy fur>>

At those words, Sirius winced in his chair, and eyeballed Remus worriedly

<<They know I’m an Animagus?!>>

The triplets snorted at the same time, in the exact same way, with the same expression; it was slightly unsettling

<<Duh. Would we be here, so calm in the presence of a “murderer”, if we didn’t know your story?>>

Remus patted his back, a grin on his face

<<These kids are fiends, Pads. They know everything, just like their mom>>

The woman shook her head

<<Now now, Mooncake; I do not know everything; a lot of things sure, but not _all_ things. For instance, I know my sons and daughter have become animagi themselves>>

The triplets smirked deviously.

He eyed them perplexedly

<<What year are you in?>>

<<Seventh>> James replied, as if it were the most obvious thing ever. Harry corroborated it

<<James and Evan shared a room with Fred and George. We’re all in Gryffindor>>

Sirius could not help the huge smile that spread on his face

<<Your grandparents must be so happy about that>>

The atmosphere suddenly became colder, and everyone stared at Kiyrah; she gave an insouciant shrug and went to ruffle Harry’s hair

<<Stop it, mom! As if it’s not messy enough already!>>

He laughed, shielding himself from her hands. She pecked his forehead and went to do the same to her two sons, before stealing a piece of chocolate from her daughter, offering a pinch on the cheek in return

<<I couldn’t care less about what those dungbats think; in fact, I hope they find out and they have a heart attack>>

<<You do know the actual world is dingbat, right?>>

<<Yes, Mooncake, I know; but they were such shitty parents... The pun was too good to resist>>

Sirius burst out laughing, holding his sides, feeling tears forming in his eyes from the effort. Above all, he was surprised: she hated her parents.

Why did he not know that?

That was more like himself than the old memories he had of her.

A rather loud crash came from outside the room, prompting a string of vile insults from the curtailed portrait just outside; Sirius sighed

<<Tonks...>>

The three adults -so to say- walked out, followed by the teens. While Remus helped Tonks up, Kiyrah turned toward Sirius

<<Take the kids away, please>>

<<But mom->>

<<No buts! This psychotic hellcat must not see you>>

Noticing the inflexible stare in her eyes, the teenagers sighed and reluctantly followed Sirius, as he escorted them away. It was strange for him: he had obeyed instantly.

What was even weirder was the worry her words had ignited in him, and the impelling need to protect the four from his mother’s wrath; it made sense thinking about Harry, but why did he care so much about those three?

Nevertheless, they all hid behind the corner, listening in on Kiyrah’s tête-à-tête with the witch.

How bad could it be? He remembered his parents drilling into his head she would be the perfect wife for a Slytherin noble: obedient, blood-purity fanatic, all that chiz.

He was thrown for a hell of a loop when his mother’s foul words reached his ears

<<You! Insolent blood-traitor! How dare you show your face here, after ditching your husband and betraying your family!>>

The five onlookers craned their heads to better observe the scene; the forbidding scowl on her face made them shudder. So did her tone

<<Shut your gob, you damned bitch!>>

<<To think I hoped you could right my son’s wrong ways. I feel sick>>

Kiyrah raised her wand, trembling with rage

<<If you insult me or Sirius one more time, I will personally burn your portrait on a pyre>>

<<You two are a shame to your families! It is you who insult us simply being in the world!>>

The woman gritted her teeth, growling

<<You’ve been warned, bitch>>

<<Kir, there’s a sticking charm right the->>

Remus couldn’t even finish his sentence, before his friend had forcibly detached the painting from the wall, along with a rather large portion of the latter.

After muttering some spells to repair the wrought part of the house, she carried the offending crone to the floor above to usher her somewhere. The painting argued and shouted, but she ignored it

<<I’m tired of you fuckers ruining our lives! You know what? I will put pictures of the Order right where you hung! Good riddance!>>

A door slammed, and she stomped downstairs, still grumbling

<<I’m sorry, Sirius, but I’ve had it up to here with that harridan. Sorry for the mess>>

<<... No problem...>>

<<If you’ll excuse me, I need a cup of tea to soothe my nerves>>

A throng of red-heads, and Hermione, overflowed in the hall, taking in the three adults with slack jaws and the destroyed wall

<<What happened here?>>

No one replied; they just stood there, agape, staring at the damaged wall in astonishment, while she walked away

<<Did that... Did that actually happen?>>

<<Yes Pads, it really did>>

<<How did... How did she->>

Harry and the triplets whooped with joy and pride, and Evan hollered

<<Mom, you’re the best!>>

<<How is that even possible?! I tried so many times to take that thing down, to no avail!>>

Marlene smirked at Sirius, having understood her mother’s intuition

<<It was stuck to the wall; but not to the whole wall>>

Both cousins, along with Remus, gawked at the kitchen door Kiyrah had just disappeared through

<<That... That’s genius>>

The curly-haired girl caught on quickly, and smiled

<<Kiyrah pulled down the foul-mouthed portrait>>

Fred and George joined the four’s cheering, while Ron went to gawk at the “artwork” with Remus, Tonks and Sirius; the two remaining girls chuckled, full of admiration for Kiyrah’s success

<<Well, folks, mommy needs a little peace and quiet after that hellcat’s onslaught, and we’re the perfect recipe for the opposite of that, so why don’t we go to our room to play a game?>> Marlene piped up; her proposition was met with approval, and the four siblings followed through with it. Indeed, Fred ran to her side and offered her his arm to escort her upstairs; again, Ron made gagging noises, earning some shoves from his sister and Hermione, while Evan and James mocked their sister and her love interest, much to George’s delight.

Molly and Arthur’s gazes shifted a few times between the three onlookers and the ruined wall, before the red-haired woman shook her head with a small smile and returned to her room, accompanied by her husband

<<Is that... Is that really the same woman I married?>>

<<Yes she is, mate. And yet... No, she’s not>>

<<Maybe... Maybe you could give her another chance? She just defended you from your mother, after all>>

Tonks suggested. He gulped

<<And you think she will accept me?>>

At that, Remus chuckled

<<I believe so, yes. Come along, Dora; I am of the opinion Romeo needs to be alone with his Juliet>>

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In my story Harry was not raised by the Dursleys.


	3. The Drug in Me Is You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I've lost my goddamn mind, it happens all the time  
> I can't believe I'm actually meant to be here  
> Trying to consume, the drug in me is you  
> And I'm so high on misery, can't you see?
> 
> (Falling in Reverse)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: this chapter contains explicit sex scenes. If you are uncomfortable with this kind of things, do not read it. I will signal it appropriately (with asterisks), both the beginning and the end.

The two disappeared.

Gathering courage, Sirius stepped in the kitchen, to find Kiyrah banging her head against the table repeatedly. The sight made him smile

<<You’re going to get a huge bump if you don’t stop>>

Indeed, she stopped, whipping her head toward him; her eyes held worry, and some fear.

He didn’t like that; though his feelings for her were a whirlwind of confusion, he knew that was the last thing he wanted to see

<<I cast spongify beforehand>>

He nodded

<<Of course; I should have guessed you were not that stupid>>

She sighed, straightening her back and murmuring the counter-spell to bring the piece of furniture back to the original state

<<What do you want?>>

He took a seat across from her, shrugging

<<Why do you ask that?>>

Laughing bitterly, the woman replied

<<We’re not on friendly terms, Black. It’s not like you came in here to have a chat with me and ask about my welfare>>

<<I hate to say it, but you’re right>>

She took a sip of tea, eyeing him suspiciously

<<Well, spit it out, Black. I don’t have all day>>

She was being difficult, and that irked him, but he kept his cool

<<I’m merely confused by your behaviour, Blackmour>>

She flinched, glaring at him

<<Do not call me that>>

<<Then stop calling me by my last name, Kiyrah. You know how much I hate it>>

<<Fair enough>>

She conceded

<<Call me Sirius>>

<<First name basis already, Siri?>>

<<Your sarcasm is not appreciated, Kay>>

She growled, and exhaled loudly

<<Fine, have it your way, Sirius. What has your knickers in a twist?>>

His expression sobered, and he fixed his eyes on her

<<You>>

She blinked, then did a double take and brought her hand to her chest, cackling mirthlessly

<<Little old me? Oh, my... I wasn’t aware I was doing anything for you...>>

He was not known for being a patient man; in fact, he stood up and slammed his hands on the table

<<Dammit, woman! I’m trying to be a grownup here and have a serious conversation, and you have to be sardonic and get on my nerves!>>

She mimicked his actions, bringing her hands down on the wooden surface with a loud thud, and neared her face to his, snarling

<<Well, sorry if my suspicious attitude upsets you, but you’ve never been nice to me, idiot! Why should I expect anything different now?>>

He didn’t know what to answer, so he just blurted his question out

<<I want to know why>>

<<Why what?>>

<<Why you lied to me>>

She retracted abruptly, regarding him almost with fear; again, he didn’t like that

<<What... What’s that supposed to mean?>>

He sat down again

<<I may have been rude to you, but you were an insufferable brat>>

The woman, too, sat back in her chair, sighing

<<That’s true, I must admit>>

<<Now I find out you raised Harry, even though neither James nor Lily have been particularly kind to you; you shout at my mother for insulting me; you know about me hiding in here and being an animagus, but you don’t report me to the Ministry of Magic. Plus, you have three kids that adore you, and you treat them with so much respect and love I didn’t know you could have; not to mention my remaining best friend treats you like a sister. In short, what, to use your words, has my knickers in a twist, is this: who are you, in reality?>>

Kiyrah exhaled slowly, taking in his words

<<It’s... Complicated>>

He smirked

<<Unlike you, I have all day>>

She snorted, but a small smile curved her lips, and he knew she had softened a little. Nevertheless, she was still scared

<<And exactly for that reason, you can wait for my explanation, can’t you?>>

She stood up and walked to the door, but he rushed to beat her and grabbed her arm, yanking her toward himself

<<Technically, I could, but in reality, I cannot, and will not>>

She took a deep breath and tried to pull away, but he held her firmly against his body

<<If what you’re hoping for is to make up for our wedding night, I’m afraid you’ll have to resort to your usual lotion>>

He chuckled sultrily

<<Now that you make me think about it, that’s another point... Look at you>>

<<What?>>

His hands slowly made their way to her waist; she didn’t fight it

<<You were as flat as a board, so inaccessible in those armours you called dresses, with your hair always twisted in horrible messes that our mothers considered elegant...>>

<<For someone who couldn’t stand the sight of me, you certainly remember it well...>>

She was imperceptibly leaning against him, while his hands tightened their grip on her hips. He ignored her teasing, and whispered in her ear

<<And now... You wear muggle clothes, which I find incredibly hot on you, with your hair down... It’s beautiful, and it smells wonderful. As for those...>> He trailed off suggestively

<<And this...>> He emphasised his point with a squeeze

<<You cannot possibly doubt the effect you have on me...>>

No, she couldn’t.

The evidence was right behind her, poking her in the butt.

She grunted

<<Pig>>

He began kissing her neck, combing his fingers through her hair; she immediately moaned, tilting her head back to give him better access

<<Oh, you like that, don’t you Kiyrah?>>

She growled, spinning abruptly on her heels and grabbing the lapels of his shirt

<<Shut up, idiot>>

Their lips crashed against each other, while he let his hands slide down her thighs; when they reached the bend of her legs, she jumped up, wrapping her arms around his neck. He held her up, walking back to the table and depositing her on it.

She broke the lip lock momentarily, and he observed her, breathless, afraid she had changed her mind, but she flicked her wand to close the door and cast a silencing charm

<<Good idea>> He rasped

<<Shut the fuck up, Sirius>>

He kissed her again, ferociously, and she leaned backwards, supporting herself with her elbows. Her hands flew to his shirt, and she worked her way through the buttons, leaving trails of fire in her fingers’s wake, making him growl and attack the fly of her jeans, tugging the material off her legs.

Each of them stopped to slip their shoes off, and he used the opportunity to remove her jumper, revealing her lacy black bra

<<You’re drooling>> She teased

<<Shut the fuck up, Kiyrah>>

******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Resuming the make-out session, he shrugged off his shirt while she saw to his trousers, bringing them down his legs with the help of her feet; he growled, tugging her jeans off completely, taking a moment to admire her

<<Fuck>>

<<Like what you see, Sir?>>

He shuddered: she had used that abridgement knowing perfectly well what it actually meant

<<Let me show you just how much, Kiyrah>>

That said, he reached behind her back to unsnap her garment, then grabbed her ankles and lifted her legs to his shoulders, compelling her to lie down; while his hands slowly trailed down her limbs, he pressed kisses to her chest, taking the bra off with his teeth.

When he was done, he chucked it somewhere in the corner and took in the view, but before she could open her mouth, his own found her nipple, and she hissed.

In the meantime, he let go of her legs so he could take her undies off, too; he hummed appreciatively noticing how soaked they were, and got rid of his own underwear as well.

Their breathing was laboured, and their excitement palpable. He looked at her one last time, before driving himself inside her; each of them grunted and groaned loudly when he was completely in, and Kiyrah sat up, clamping her hands on his shoulder for support; for his part, Sirius positioned one arm on the table to balance the two of them and one to hold on to her before letting instinct take over, pistoning in and out of her like a madman, voicing his pleasure loudly along with her. The sting on his back from her nails sinking in his shoulders spurred him on even more, and he scraped his teeth on the skin of her neck, receiving a scream as reward.

If possible, his movements became even more urgent; he wanted nothing more than to watch her come undone because of him.

This was what husband and wife were supposed to do; this was the passion that was supposed to pervade such an intimate act. Seeing that, understanding what they had passed up, the sensation of loss became overwhelming, and they hung even tighter on to each other, to replace those bitter memories with new ones, full of love.

Sirius was disconcerted. Did he love her? If so, how could it be? He knew nothing of her.

But what was happening in that moment, what they were doing... It wasn’t casual sex; it just couldn’t be.

There was too much passion, too much understanding, too much need...

It actually freaked them both out, but the pleasure was so overpowering that they couldn’t fight against it. Finally, they reached their climax, howling with satisfaction, collapsing on the table in a breathless heap.

******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

A few moments went by, during which they relished their embrace, basking in the afterglow, lightly caressing each other. At least, until Sirius commented

<<That was... So much better... Than lotion>>

The haze was over, and she suddenly came back to her senses; eyes wide with fright, she pushed him away, jumped to her feet and flung on her sweatshirt, transfigurating it into a dress

<<What are you... What are you doing?>>

<<This is wrong. This wasn’t supposed to happen>> She replied curtly, picking up her clothes.

He was horrified, and shook his head, trying to block her

<<No, Kiyrah, wait->>

She ignored him completely and walked out to head upstairs, leaving him to get dressed.

He was deeply hurt by her rejection, and it puzzled him even more

<<Damn, all I wanted was an explanation, or so I thought...>>

In her room, Kiyrah was crying, hugging her pillow

<<I’m an imbecile, a complete idiot>>

Her mind went back to what had just transpired in the kitchen, and new tears trickled down her cheeks

<<I love him so much... So fucking much...>>

* * *

Remus and Dora had kept close to the kitchen in the hopes of hearing something, but were highly disappointed when someone -Kiyrah- had used the Muffliato spell, ruining their plans. They had managed to eavesdrop on the first part of the conversation, cringing every time one of the (ex) spouses shouted; then, at some point, complete silence deafened them.

Of course they wouldn’t want anybody earwigging; they were two closed-off, stubborn knuckleheads, and it was a very personal issue they had to discuss. Not that either of their friends wanted to poke their noses in their business -maybe Dora, but just a little; they just wanted the two knuckleheads to get this over with, so they could stop staring at each other like lovestruck idiots and actually do something about it. Alas, until they cleared up the many misunderstandings that constituted their few months together, they would get nowhere; and other people would suffer the consequences, along with those two themselves...

Her children, for instance; their children, Remus corrected himself mentally. Perhaps it wasn’t that obvious when one looked at Evan or James, but Marlene had Black written all over her; furthermore, all three had inherited distinctive personality traits that didn’t belong to either side of the family, just to Sirius or Kiyrah.

Dora had been awestruck when he’d told her just how closely related her cousin and the triplets were, but not as much as he expected her to: she, too, confessed that she’d had suspicions since she’d first set eyes on the only girl of the litter- pun intended; that kid was just so, so... So Sirius.

He’d said their mother had a tendency to fly into a temper and bite people’s heads off, but he failed to recognise he was exactly the same; actually, he could be compared to a hurricane, who unleashed its wrath without any foreboding; Kiyrah, instead, was more like a volcano, simmering and boiling in rage until she decided it was time to strike, like the diplomatic Ravenclaw she was.

Marlene was a hurricane with the fire of a volcano.

She had inherited his infamous Black temper that shook so many brave souls’ resolve.

When he saw her scowl or frown, he was taken back to his old school days.

Sirius had never had any filter between his emotions and what he showed to the world; sure, he kept his vulnerability hidden from everyone but his closest friends, but other than that he wore his heart on his sleeve; more than anything, he was prone to bouts of anger and onslaughts. In short, if he didn’t like someone, he was sure to let them know, while Kiyrah held everything inside, never forgetting a single thing but letting the world see her sweet smile, which belied a devious, wicked disposition.

James and Evan were more laid-back, pacific guys; sure, they were the sons of the two best personifications of fury he knew, but it really took a lot to get them going. They were the first to think up a plan for mischief, and usually dragged their twin sister into it, with the result that only the two of them got caught those few times anyone did, but they took after the more easygoing side of their parents. Apparently, only the talent for trouble had been distributed evenly, and the young woman with black hair and grey eyes was a terrible mix of her parents’ sharp tongues and quick temper.

How Kiyrah held them down he had no idea, but he knew that, if anyone could do it, it would be her.

His heart constricted when he thought of her the first time he saw her, sad and alone, sitting on the windowsill in the room she occupied at the castle: she was looking outside, melancholy and wistfulness on her face, as she absentmindedly fiddled with the zipper of her leather jacket- Sirius’s leather jacket. He knew she was thinking about him, and she missed him; she still did, despite her cutting tongue and black looks.

It was all a charade, and he could see right through her, as basically anyone could, he was sure.

Anyone but his slowpoke of a friend, who was being remarkably unperceptive, which was so unlike him. With a resigned sigh, he headed to his bedroom, fully aware that both Sirius and Kiyrah were blowing off some steam in their own chambers.

Little did he know, one was pouring her eyes out and the other was pouring firewhisky in a glass…

* * *

Sirius sat in front of the fireplace, a bottle of firewhisky in his hand, his mind going over the recent events: the feel of Kiyrah’s hands in his hair, her body pressed against his own, her lips on his...

It had never been so... Perfect, with anyone. That couldn’t be just hormones.

But it made no sense.

He sprawled further into the couch, trying to understand why she had left as if the mere vicinity of him was enough to give her a disease, but he wasn’t entirely sure he wanted to understand either.  
She probably hated him right now; he would bet she had from the very beginning

<<Sickle for your thoughts?>> A voice halted his reverie, and he blinked himself out of his boredom-induced stupor to stare up at a young, smiling face, surmounted by a mane of chestnut strands that hid forehead, eyes and cheeks where they escaped the confines of the scrunchie

<<Hi, Evan>>

The kid did a double-take

<<You recognise me?>>

Despite his black mood -no pun intended- Sirius found it in himself to laugh

<<Of course I do, why wouldn’t I? I’m not drunk, I just had a couple of glasses>>

<<No, no, I’m not saying that; it’s just that many people confuse me with James>>

<<Well, at least they don’t mix you up with Marlene, do they?>>

Guffaws met his joke

<<No, not yet>>

<<Good, listen up: when I will make that mistake, that’s how you’ll know I’m completely pissed>>

Evan smirked; that expression, weirdly, didn’t remind him of Kiyrah, but of someone else. Yet again, to his frustration, it eluded him.

But he would find out.

In the meantime, he welcomed the distraction, even though the boy looked too much like his mother for Sirius to completely enjoy himself; but it was pretty damn close

<<I thought we saw you pissed this morning>> The older man chuckled, shaking his head amusedly

<<Oh Godric, that joke is lame>>

<<But it made you crack up, didn’t it? You looked like you needed a pick-me-up>>

When his interlocutor stayed silent, Evan panicked a little

<<I thought, since you’re now on good terms with Marlene, we were… Friends? I don’t know. But if you don’t want me to annoy you I can go->>

<<Nonsense; you’re very welcome to stay, and I’m glad you chose to come talk to me. You’re right, I needed something to cheer me up; being holed up in this Godric-forsaken dungeon really takes a toll on my nerves>>

With a smile, the teen rounded the couch and sat on the rug. Sirius mimicked his expression, though the real reason for his low spirits was not the one he had pledged

<<Where’s your brother, by the way?>>

<<I think he was trying to keep Fred from chatting up Marlene>> Evan answered, his voice full of derision.

Sirius joined the merriment, recalling the obvious flirtation that had been going on between the two since the girl had arrived

<<Overprotective much?>>

<<Nah, he does that just to annoy her>>

They shared a laugh

<<Your sister can handle herself>>

<<Oh, yes she can; if that guy ever hurts her, she’ll hand his ass over to him>>

<<I doff my hat to Fred Weasley; it takes a lot of courage to woo a girl like Marlene McGonagall>>

<<Indeed>>

<<Can I ask you something? And don’t say “you just did” because I will pour this whole bottle on your shirt if you do>>

Evan groaned

<<C’mon! Everyone reads me like a book! It’s not fair!>>

Sirius’s mind went back to when his mother had cut him off before he could deliver the punchline; they were a heart-warming family, even without a father.

Actually, he liked them better that way; he could still hope, as long as Kiyrah was free…

<<Nah, I just have the same sense of humour as you do>>

<<The same as my mom’s?>>

The black-haired man froze

<<I- I don’t know what to say to that…>>

A few moments went by, where no one spoke; then, Evan had enough, and tried to salvage the conversation

<<Well, you had a question; what was it?>>

<<I forgot…>>

To avoid any more embarrassment to either of them, the young man piped up

<<Oh, I have one! Can you tell me about some of the pranks you pulled while you were at Hogwarts?>>

A breath of fresh air, finally.

The grin on Sirius’s face widened immensely

<<Only if we compare notes afterwards>>

If there had been a mirror, Sirius would have seen the exact same grin mirrored on the child’s face beside his own, and maybe he would have finally noticed the resemblance; but there wasn’t

<<You have a deal>>


	4. The Great Divide

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We're fighting without a reason (fighting)  
> We're killing her softly day by day (day by day)  
> We're guilty, we're all in treason  
> It's time to end this great divide
> 
> (In This Moment)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to thank accio_marauders for the support. The backstory is revealed along the way; Sirius just can't see what's right in front of him. (btw I don't know how to tag people on this website, I'm failry new so I'm still a rookie)
> 
> I hope everyone reading enjoys the story.  
> Feedback is welcome, so I can tweak a few things here and there along the way.

A group of eight youngsters made its way toward the living room, drawn in by the sound of uproarious laughter

<<And- and then we got detention and spent a whole week scrubbing glitter from the walls and the floor, but it was totally worth it!>>

Hysterics ensued. They opened the door and peeked in, to find Evan sprawled on the rug, holding his sides as he shook with peal after peal of laughter, and Sirius pretty much in the same position on the couch, the bottle of booze lying forgotten on the floor

<<I can’t believe it!>>

Marlene immediately beamed, and James spoke up

<<Hey, what’s so funny? I want to know too!>>

The two men calmed down just enough to look at the newcomers

<<Welcome! Have you joined us to listen to the tales of the greatest pranks Hogwarts has ever seen?>> Sirius boasted, making them titter.

George intervened

<<We have some good ones up our sleeve too>>

<<Hey, what about us?>> Marlene complained, hinting at herself and her brothers

<<We won the last one!>>

<<Which was?>> Sirius inquired, visibly interested

<<A prank war to make Umbridge go mad>> Harry filled in, making his godfather smirk like a shark

<<Oh, pray tell. Have a seat!>>

Once they had formed a circle around the couch, James produced a bunch of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans, and the triplets began to narrate their valiant undertakings to grate on their headmistress’ nerve

<<I cast a spell that made every kitten she has hanging on the walls of her office meow whenever she tries to speak, and the bottom of all her teacups break when she drinks>> James abounded proudly.

Harry and Ron shrugged, while the other appeared unimpressed. Evan squared his shoulders

<<That’s child’s play: I left a whoopee cushion on her chair after smearing glue on top of it and furnishing it with an invisibility charm. Plus, I turned every pink thing she owns to fluorescent green, cause you know, invert colours>>

<<Not bad… But you need to go way further to reach our level>> George commented. His twin brother turned toward Marlene

<<What about you, Len? I know you can be extremely wicked when you put your mind to it>>

She smirked sultrily, slowly leaning towards him

<< _When I put my mind to it?_ >>

<<All right, I take it back…>>

<<Nah, you don’t mean it; but you’d better _really_ take it back, if you don’t want to incur my wrath…>>

<<What are you gonna do, Marly? Tie him to the bed?>> James jeered.

Evan and Sirius burst into laughter as they watched Fred and Marlene blush; Ron choked up and Harry’s eyes widened, while Ginny and Hermione both delivered a slap to the back of James’ head.

His sister turned toward him, slowly, her eyes full of murderous threat

<<I might just hogtie you and hand you to the Devil’s Snare that Hagrid hides somewhere in the castle; guess what: I know where it is>>

At those words, the brown-haired boy rapidly scooted as far away from her as he could without actually leaving the circle, looking terrified

<<You wouldn’t hurt your twin brother, would you?>>

She shrugged and snorted

<<I have a spare>>

Out of the blue -ironically- Evan joined his brother on the other side of the room

<<She scares me>>

  
Sirius was in stitches; those kids were a hoot. And the fact that they’d decided to cheer him up just when he needed it…

It made him feel warm inside

<<Well then, pipsqueak, what wondrous trick did you unleash on your oh so pleasant headmistress?>>

With an evil chuckle, Marlene revealed her masterpiece

<<I sent her love letters under the name of “Cornelius Fudge” and asked for a date; when she showed up I transformed her clothes into a banana costume, and released a dung bomb next to her>>

Silence enveloped them for a few moments, during which the young girl observed her audience’s reaction with a pleased grin on her lips; then, one by one, all the occupants of the room, even Marlene herself, burst into laughter, reclining on the carpet as tears streamed from their eyes

<<That is one hell of a prank!>>

<<I have the magic touch>>

The girl giggled, clearly pleased with herself; the black-haired man stood up and went to shake her hand, actually impressed

<<You have the makings of a great japester, pipsqueak>>

<<I told you not to call me that!>>

 _< <I’m quaking with fear>>_ He reiterated, grinning smugly

<<You’re worse than my brothers, and they’re the masters of their craft>>

<<Which is?>>

<<Being idiots>>

Her tone was annoyed, but the smile on her face proved she didn’t mean it. Her siblings whined

<<You’re so cruel, Harley>>

<<I’m just better than you>>

<<You’re good, I’ll give you that, but you can’t compete with the masters of the craft>>

<<Oh yes, the infamous Marauders; give me some time and I’ll make a name for myself too!>>

<<Don’t forget about us, you ungrateful brat!>>

Her brothers, again; she dismissed them with a wave of her hand

<<Nah, you’re too soft: you take after mom and her non-violent attitude; I, evidently, have _marauding_ blood in my veins>>

<<You forget we share the same parents, Miss arrogance>>

<<What do you think, Mr Black? Who’s the most promising joker among us?>>

<<... I suppose I would have to say you>>

While her male siblings groaned, she fist-pumped Fred, grinning like the Cheshire Cat; he grabbed her by the shoulders and enveloped her in a bear hug, making her squeal

<<Let me go, you oaf!>>

The boy pecked her cheek, a smile much like the one she sported earlier painted on his face

<<Never>>

Both of them blushed, and stared into each other’s eyes, momentarily forgetting they weren’t alone.

Finally, Harry harrumphed and announced loudly, standing up

<<Well, I’m going to bed>>

<<You were about to ask if anyone wanted to join you, weren’t you?>>

The green-eyed teen chortled, nodding his head

<<Yes, but I’m surrounded by too many dirty-minded people to make that mistake>>

James threw an arm around his shoulder, laughing mischievously

<<Don’t worry, you’ll make another one>>

<<Oh, tons>> George piped up

<<And we’ll be right there when you do>> Evan continued, leaving the punchline to Marlene and Fred, who delivered it in unison

<<Ready to make you feel like an idiot>>

Their flushed cheeks became even redder, but they were too giddy to care.

Tired of the kissy-faces, Ron bid everyone goodnight and walked out, followed by Harry, Hermione, Ginny and George; James and Evan threw one last look at their sister before leaving, but the couple remained oblivious until Sirius clapped his hands together

<<The two of you are making me sick; get out>>

Fred and Marlene pulled apart immediately, but relaxed when they saw his smile

<<You will tell our moms, won’t you?>>

<<Pshaw, they already know; everyone knows. Even the portraits in this house know>>

<<Okay, well... We’ll see ourselves out>>

<<Go to your separate bedrooms!>>

<<We could hide in another room, you know>>

<<I don’t think that’s advisable... The creepy crawlies would get you before any of us, and then there are Bundimuns, and Chizpurfles->>

<<Night!>>

Both teens were out in a blink. Sirius turned toward the coach, wanting so badly to retrieve his neglected liquor, when the door opened again and someone flung themselves at him, wrapping their arms around him

<<Goodnight, Sirius>>

Marlene.

She was hugging him.

And she had called him by his name.

He felt his heartbeat race, and reached up to squeeze her hands

<<Goodnight, Marlene>>

She was gone as swiftly as she’d come, and he was alone with his mind.

This time though, he needed it.

He had been anxious to sit down alone to ponder since a particular sentence had left the lips of the jet-black-haired female that was hugging him a second ago

_< <I, evidently, have marauding blood in my veins>>_

His own blood had frozen in his veins upon hearing her say that. He’d looked at her, at that moment, and it was like he was seeing her for the first time: ebony, wavy, shoulder-length locks, silver eyes and a mischievous, ever-present smirk that charmed whoever passed by. Wasn’t that the exact description some girl in Hogwarts had given of Sirius himself?

And then, of course, there were James and Evan

_< <You forget we share the same parents, Miss arrogance>>_

Obviously.

It wasn’t that he didn’t care about them, not at all; he liked all three of them, but the brothers were more reserved, less boisterous than their sister, and avoided conflict, much like their mother. Not to say that any of the four McGonagall were namby-pambies, oh no; far from it. He knew Kiyrah had quite a mouth on her, could be terrifying when enraged and possessed the deviousness and quick mind of a master japester, but Marlene was different: she had more bravado, and she paraded around swashbuckling and pulling heinous pranks on unaware victims; she was prone to fly into a temper at a mere hint of provocation: it took nothing to rile her up, and she didn’t hesitate to engage her opponent.

He had been racking his brain, trying to identify who it was she reminded him of so much. Now he understood, and he felt like an idiot: it had been right there under his nose since the night those three had scrambled out of the fireplace, bickering like he did so often with Remus and James.

He had taken a shine to them from the start, so much so that he had been even frightened; now everything made sense, and all the puzzle pieces fit together, to make up a huge script that read _“You’re an idiot”_

He was their father.

Bloody hell, he was their father.

It was so obvious he felt utterly ashamed.

He and Kiyrah had been married for about six months, before he “ _jilted her like the dog you are_ ”, according to Remus; it was expected of them to sleep together, encouraged even, to keep the noble and ancient house of Black alive and thriving.

Bullshit.

The only problem was he didn’t remember spending a single night with her -besides this one, of course- but that could be due to a number of reasons: dementors, fourteen years of separation, the fact that he’d tried to extirpate her from his mind and life, as though she were some kind of disease. He had to admit that, in spite of the low opinion he’d had of her until a few days ago, she’d been the best part of his life as a Black. Sure, they fought a lot, but she never hit him, never denigrated him or his friends, and he was almost certain she’d even helped him at some point, some times. And he’d ignored her still.

Good job, you wanker.

He’d left her alone with those vultures continuously looming over her head, annihilating any chance at happiness she might have had.

Tenere et custodire, my ass.

Great. Just great.

He’d left her alone, and pregnant; not with one, not even two, but three children, that she raised on her own

_< <So you had a father, too?>>_

_< <No>>_

No

She had been alone all this time.

_< <We never met him>>_

_< <Mommy... Mommy never talks about him>>_

_< <We’ve learned not to ask>>_

He wondered what she’d answered those times they _did_ ask her about him

_< <It’s clearly painful for her to recall him>>_

What, indeed? Had she told them he’d been condemned to rot in hell for the remainder of his life, paying for crimes he had not committed? Had she said he was dead?

_< <You speak of him like he were dead>>_

_< <Isn’t he?>>_

_< <No>>_

No.

Did they know?

Was that why they were trying to approach him?

It could not be: his favourite pipsqueak would have confronted him immediately, as he would have in her place; he was, after all, a _tactless idiot_ , like Kiyrah had called him.

Fuck.

Kiyrah.

He had to speak to her.

Now.

* * *

Sirius slammed the bottle on the table next to him and rushed out, running upstairs to the room that Kiyrah had chosen for herself.

He knocked immediately, before courage failed him; well, it wasn’t really courage, so much as adrenaline and shock, with some fear thrown in the mix.

But it would do, if it made him rap on the door.

And he did, again and again. Zilch.

Just when he was about to do it again, someone came out of their room, and he spun on his heels to see who it was.

Remus

<<She’s not there>>

What?

<<Come again?>>

<<She is not there, Padfoot>>

Sirius felt the wind being knocked out of his lungs

<<I beg your pardon?>>

<<Kiyrah, the woman I assume you’re looking for, is not inside the room whose door you’re so loudly banging on>> Remus repeated, slower this time, but fully aware that his friend had understood perfectly the first time he’d said that

<<Where... Where is she?>>

The taller man took the shorter one by the hand and guided him inside his own accommodation, closing the door

<<Where is she, Moony?>>

<<Away on a mission for the Order>>

Even in the feeble lamplight, Remus saw how colour drained from Sirius’s face, and his eyes widened

<<Away... On a mission... For the Order>>

<<Yes>>

The silence that enveloped them made Remus terribly uncomfortable: he did not enjoy seeing his best mate in such anguish, and he knew that Sirius always went quiet before-

<<WHY THE HELL DIDN’T I KNOW SHE WAS GOING ON A MISSION?!>>

Booming at the top of his voice.

Good thing he’d cast a silencing charm beforehand: Sirius had already been halfway through waking up the entire household with his infernal pounding earlier

<<Do you need to know everything about everyone’s whereabouts all the time? No one tells you about their missions. Furthermore, it’s better in case we get caught>>

Remus tried to reason with his friend, but Sirius was too far gone

<<I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF MY WIFE WAS ABOUT TO FACE FUCKING DEATH-EATERS ON HER OWN!>>

Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, Remus spoke to him as if he were a child. In some way, it was true

<<She is not your wife, Sirius>>

It seemed only then he did notice what he’d said, and he brought his hands to his mouth, as if he’d just shouted racial slurs, gaze full of panic. His friend tried to soothe him

<<It’s okay to be worried about her, Pads>>

<<No it’s not! She does not care about me!>>

The taller man snorted, shaking his head

<<You’d have to be blind not to see it, Pads: she loves you>>

<<Does not>>

<<Does, too; a lot at that>>

<<How would you know, Casanova?>>

<<You can’t tell me you didn’t see it, Sirius: she looks at you like you hung the stars in the sky. Not to mention she defended you from your mother and against the whole wizarding world, even though it made her look like a fool.

And the way she banters with you, and you tease her in return… You can’t tell me there’s nothing there, Padfoot: even I, with my scarce comprehension of romance, can tell there definitely is something going on between you two>>

Sirius was at a loss

<<But why would she let me go, then?>>

<<Would you pursue a person who shows you nothing but contempt?>>

Remus asked. His friend had no answer

<<There you go. I think she assumed you’d be happier without her>>

  
The black-haired man threw himself on the chair in the corner, hiding his face in his hands

<<I’m a horrible person, Moony>>

<<No, Pads, you’re not; you two just need to talk it out. Did you have a chat while you were in the kitchen?>>

<<…>>

Just like that, Remus knew his best mate had done something he would not like to hear

<<What exactly happened in that room, Padfoot?>>

<<We had sex, Moony, ok? I had sex on the table with my ex-wife, whom apparently I’ve never really known>>

Hearing that, Remus couldn’t help but face-palm, incredulous and flabbergasted

<<I cannot believe it… You say you hate each other, you bicker like an old married couple, you flirt like teenagers and then… Then you go and copulate on the kitchen table! People eat there, Sirius!>>

In spite of the situation, the other man chuckled

<< _Copulate_? Geez, what are you, seventy? And it’s my house, anyway; I’m free to do as I please>>

<<No you’re not “free to do as you please”, playboy: there are other people in this house, and you should know, you lent it to the Order. What if her children happened to see you?>>

<<We’d locked the door and cast a silencing charm>>

<<Good, good; you’re both so… Provident>> He bit out

<<What the fuck, Moony?! You should be happy for me!>>

Remus grunted and grabbed him by the arm, looking him in the eyes

<<I’ll be happy for you when you find the sand to tell that woman you love her, not fuck her on a table and come begging at her door hours later!>>

<<For your information, she’s the one who left>>

<<She doesn’t want to be hurt anymore, don’t you understand?>>

<<I don’t want to suffer either! And who do you think you are, the guru of love?>>

<<I’m her friend>>

<<Excellent! Well, do enlighten me: why the fuck did she ditch me after we’d been together?>>

Sighing, Remus finally took a seat on the edge of the bed

<<She’s scared of falling harder for you since you clearly don’t love her>>

<<But I do love her>>

As soon as they realised what Sirius had said, both men felt their eyes widen to saucers-like size and their jaws slacken

<<You… You really love her?>>

<<I… I’m not sure, Moony: I don’t know her enough to say yes, but I can’t say no, either>>

Remus looked at his friend, really looked at him, and heaved a sigh

<<You’ll never get anywhere if you don’t clear things up, pal>>

Sirius laughed bitterly

<<Well, now that you mention it, I suppose I should let her know that I finally realised those three are my children>>

The taller man recoiled, but tried to joke

<<You surely took long to put the pieces together>>

<<YOU KNEW?!>>

<<Yes>>

<<AND YOU DIDN’T THINK TO TELL ME?>>

<<She asked me not to; and it wouldn’t have mattered anyway, because you’d abandoned her>>

<<I WOULD HAVE HELPED HER IF I KNEW! I WOULD HAVE BEEN A GOOD FATHER!>>

<<She didn’t doubt that; she just… She feared you’d reject her again, and she wasn’t ready for that pain>>

Sirius actually growled

<<Why are you so chummy with her? You spend nights gossiping about boys and putting on nail polish?>>

<<We met again during my year as a DADA professor at Hogwarts; she lives there, you know>>

<<And she told you the truth right away?>>

<<No; she was extremely reticent about it. But I wore her down>>

<<Why did you insist?>>

Remus chuckled, remembering something

<<Well, let’s just say that knowing who she was, seeing Marlene could only mean one thing…>>

<<Bloody… She is named after our friend, right?>>

<<Yes>>

<<Did she tell you expressly?>>

<<I guessed it>>

<<So… They were good friends?>>

<<Like sisters, she told me; that’s why your daughter is named after her>>

<<I knew it, I just didn’t understand why…>>

<<Her full name is Marlene Euphemia McGonagall>>

Sirius stuttered, completely taken by surprise

<<J-James’s mum?>>

<<Yes. The boys are James Fleamont and Evan Alphard McGonagall>>

<<My uncle?!>>

<<Again, yes>>

<<That woman owes me a damn good explanation…>>

<<And you owe her a big apology, Pads>>

After a moment of silence, Sirius whispered fearfully

<<Will she come back, Moony?>>

<<You know she will, Padfoot. That woman is made of sturdy stuff: she’ll survive>>

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I read somewhere that Umbridge has a kind of crush on the Minister... Is it a thing? Really?


	5. The Shrine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I wish I can read behind the lines  
> Unholy wisdom sanctified  
> I am the fallen into this abyss of fire  
> This is my inner shrine  
> I saw when reason and lies collide  
> I hear the call of the ancient times  
> Dark is the source of light  
> Something wicked lives in the shrine
> 
> (Semblant)

The next morning, Sirius woke up rather late, and stared at the ceiling for a very long time, taking mental stock of the recent discoveries: he was a father, to three amazing kids that he already liked so much without even knowing they were his. Kiyrah loved him -according to Remus- and he needed to confront her about that, too; he reciprocated her feelings, and needed to tell her asap, or he feared he might spontaneously combust.

He threw back the sheets and donned his robe, walking downstairs

<<Good morning, Sleeping Beauty! You finally decided to grace us with your presence?>>

Evan taunted him.

Sirius felt his lips curve into a smile: no matter how dark his mood was, those three fiends always turned his frown around, and he loved them for that

<<Good morning, everyone. Your comment is regrettable, Evan, but I assume you wouldn’t know anything about beauty sleeps, since you have no good looks to preserve whatsoever>>

The kid gaped for a moment, while his brother whooped

<<And Sirius strikes! Ten points to Gryffindor!>>

<<That was mean!>>

The man chuckled

<<Please; I’m surprised your sister didn’t catch the ball. Where is she?>>

The two teens scoffed

<<Probably feeding Fred his breakfast; those two make me sick>>

As he remembered his own comment from the previous evening, he snickered: those really were _his_ children

<<You’re just jealous>>

When he strode into the kitchen, Sirius found out that James’s prediction was spot-on: Marlene was sitting next to one of the Weasley twins, her legs on top of his, holding a piece of cake to his lips. Typically, one would expect the situation to be romantic.

But Marlene and her brothers were Marauders; the girl had other plans.

She was cooing to him like he were a baby, teasing him relentlessly; Fred endured, as any guy would, but Sirius decided she’d tormented the poor guy enough

<<Oi, Bonnie and Clyde! Stop with the mush, you’re making me uncomfortable>>

Bellowed James, entering the room with Evan.

Marlene glared at the two, smirking evilly

<<Oh, you feel uncomfortable seeing me with my boyfriend? Then how about this?>>

Suddenly, the cake was gone and she straddled Fred’s lap, cupping his face in her hands and pressing her lips to his, initiating a heavy make-out session; the red-head was almost startled, but complied nonetheless, happy to kiss the girl he liked.  
Sirius felt a pang of jealousy, and not because it was his little girl who was sucking faces with the joker: that could have been him and Kiyrah, if they hadn’t been stubborn idiots. He wondered what it would feel like to kiss her.

He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn’t notice the two teenagers were getting kind of carried away until, finally, a rather shrill moan by Marlene shook him out of is trance. Sure, Fred Weasley was a good kid, but it was still his daughter he was necking with, and he felt a rather powerful surge of jealousy swell inside him

<<Oi, you two! Stop tongue-wrestling!>>

The girl merely pulled away, without any sign of shame or perturbation, while the boy was absolutely put out, but had clearly enjoyed it anyway; she turned to look at her brothers with an impish grin, chuckling evilly

<<How’s that for uncomfortable, you puppers?>>

They grimaced and walked away, shuddering dramatically

<<My eyes! I’m scarred for life!>> Came Ron’s cry from the doorway; his sister swatted him on the back, muttering something along the lines of “stop being such a baby”,whereas Harry and Hermione snickered.

While Marlene stood up to go grab a pastry from the tray at the centre of the table, George fist-pumped histwin brother, who had a foolish smile on his face as he stared at the black-haired she-devil

<<So you two are really a thing?>>

The girl giggled, shaking her head at the older man’s question

<<I’m not a thing, Sirius: I’m a person>>

He inhaled loudly to convey how squalid her quip had been

<<Lame. You know what I mean>>

<<Of course I do. And yes, we are>>

She was about to walk to her chair, but he blocked her path

<<No no no, where do you think you’re going? You have to tell me>>

Marlene arched an eyebrow defiantly

<<Why, did mommy put you on sitter duty? Who are you, my new governess?>>

<<What if I told you your mother really did give me the task to watch over you?>>

She shook her head

<<I would say I don’t believe you because you’re just as childish as us lot, and I know she would choose Remus _if_ she did assign a baby sitter to us; incidentally, you could use one>>

Sirius threw back his head and laughed uproariously, so much that he felt tears in his eyes

<<You’ve got moxie, smartass>>

<<That I do>>

<<But you can’t compare to me>>

With a tutting sound, she scoffed

<<Please: I can’t even call you a smartass, because that’d imply you’re smart>>

That said, she took a bite out of the treat she’d chosen, and went back to her place next to Fred; then, when he asked to try the pastry, she decided to be pestiferous and smeared icing sugar over his entire face, smiling sweetly at him. George was beside himself with laughter, as were Ginny, Harry and Hermione; Ron, James and Evan were still going on about how cloying the two were, which ended in Fred and Marlene hexing their hair pink.

Remus entered the kitchen to find three teenage boys with fuchsia mops dashing out of the room, while the rest of the occupants were laughing their heads off; he cocked an eyebrow

<<Do I want to know?>>

<<Doesn’t matter, we won’t tell you>>

He snorted, then looked at the young woman who’d spoken

<<You know I’ll tell your mother you’ve been a pest, don’t you?>>

<<Pshaw, that trick didn’t work when we were two, what makes you think it’ll scare me now? Besides, she’ll probably high-five me proudly>>

That only renewed the hysterics, and the sandy-haired man nodded with a chuckle

<<I’m certain she would do just that. What are you eating?>>

Molly barged into the room, staring down her twin sons

<<Fred and George Weasley, you don’t turn your brother’s hair pink, nor James and Evan’s!>>

The innocent one complained indignantly

<<It wasn’t me! Romeo and Juliet here are the culprits!>>

The red-haired woman’s eyes moved to the couple, and she repeated her rebuke

<<You must not spell people’s hair pink>>

<<It seems I just did, mom>>

Hearing that, Molly grumbled annoyedly, while Marlene looked at him as though he’d hung the stars in the sky

<<Reverse the spell!>>

<<Tell those three to come back here and I will>>

She left in a huff, and he turned toward the woman at his side

<<You’re awesome, you know that?>>

<<Just like you, Len>>

They almost kissed again, but Sirius put a plate in between their faces, effectively hindering them

<<Enough with the snogging, you’re making me nauseous>>

Fred rolled his eyes, but the girl just transfigured the plate into a flower wreath and planted a loud smacker on the redhead’s lips as it fell around her neck. Sirius looked surprised, but happy.

Remus observed him, a small smile on his lips: he had been extremely worried when, the previous evening, his friend had exploded in his room, shouting that he knew the triplets were his children. To be honest, though, he’d never shared Kiyrah’s fear that he would rebuff them: he was absolutely, one hundred percent positive Padfoot would be thrilled to have kids, and the evidence was right there, as he cackled watching Marlene and Fred, incredibly pleased with his daughter’s antics.

James and Evan resembled him greatly, too, but Marlene… Those two were too much alike for anyone in this house to be safe, except perhaps Kiyrah.

He was concerned about her, obviously: she was one of his best friends; nevertheless, being in the Order inevitably meant danger, and she’d been irremovable about going on that particular mission. It was especially dangerous for her, because she would be facing her parents.

He’d never actually investigated the dynamics of Kiyrah’s family, but judging by how she tensed up when he so much as mentioned them, she was not on good terms with her mother and father. Maybe desire for revenge was what had pushed her to accept the task Moody had entrusted her with…

Sometimes, that woman was too much like Sirius; it kind of frightened him.

He was certain they would work so well together, if only they could stop being so irrationally stubborn and proud… But that was asking too much of them: he’d learned through years of sharing a dorm and his life with him, that Sirius was too headstrong for his own good; as for Kiyrah, he often compared her to an oyster: incredibly difficult to open, but guarding a treasure within.

She loved that metaphor.

He loved the smile that she’d give him when he told it to her.

It was only a few days until Kiyrah would return from the mission, but Remus feared that waiting for her in this house was something even more difficult to face: Sirius would confront her on his -utterly obvious, in Moony’s opinion- paternity kept secret for almost eighteen years.

In the meantime, Sirius observed Marlene, and then James and Evan as they came back in the room with Ron. When their hair was, finally, back to its normal colour, he took a good look at each of them: the two boys were basically identical, like Fred and George, but James was slightly buffer than his brother, and Evan’s eyes were actually black, whereas his brother’s were a very, very dark brown. Aside from these few differences, though, they shared the exact same features; those very same features he’d seen reflected in the mirror every time he shaved or washed his face: it was like looking at a picture of his teenage self.

Marlene, instead, had some of her mother’s traits, like her full lips, the smile, or the eye shape, but the colouring was his.

As for the personality… Kiyrah must have had the patience of a saint, dealing with those three pests for all these years.

At the thought, he felt a pang of pain in his heart: he would have wanted to be there, so much. True, he’d spent a dozen years trapped in a cell, but he would have liked to know he had kids. He’d missed their first steps, their first words, the first time they’d held their wands… Their first everything.

Could he really blame Kiyrah for not telling him though? They really weren’t on the best of terms: if he recalled correctly, he’d called her names that he’d only used for his insane cousin Bellatrix, and he’d said he’d “rather hop around Hogwarts dressed in pink and holding Snape’s hand than touch her”. Terribly ironic, considering what they’d done the day before on the table where everyone was now eating.

Good thing he’d cleaned it afterwards.

He missed her, very much. He hoped she was okay, wherever she was in that moment…

Perhaps Remus was right: perhaps, he did love her

* * *

A few hours later, Sirius found his friend in front of the fireplace, a fistful of floo powder in his hand

<<Where are you going?>>

<<Professor McGonagall told me to go retrieve a trunk of clothes Kiyrah has forgotten in her room at the castle>>

<<Doesn’t it seem weird to you?>>

<<What? The fact that Minerva has adopted Kiyrah?>>

<<Yeah, and also that she now has three grandchildren>>

Remus thought for a moment, then he admitted

<<Yes, it does>>

<<Do you think she knows I’m the triplets father?>>

The taller man shrugged

<<Probably, but if Kiyrah doesn’t resent you for not being there, why would she?>>

Silence fell between them, until Sirius spoke

<<I would have wanted to be there, Moony>>

<<I know, Padfoot>>

<<Not just for the babies; for Kay, too>>

<<You said you hated her>>

<<Those words never actually left my mouth>>

<<Still, calling her an insufferable, snotty brat surely wasn’t the best way to go>>

The shorter man flinched as if physically struck

<<Don’t you know I regret those words every day?>>

<<You just found out the truth, Padfoot>>

<<Yes, but… I feel like there’s something I don’t remember>>

<<What does that mean?>>

<<I feel like, even though I never really knew her… I’ve always known her, somehow; and I never meant those insults anyway>>

<<You are aware that what you’re saying doesn’t make much sense, right?>>

Remus commented.

His friend huffed

<<I know, Moony. But I can’t help it… I have this inkling that tells me that, deep down, I’ve known the real Kiyrah all along>>

<<Did you like her?>>

<<Worse>>

<<Worse?>>

<<I think I might just love her>>

* * *

Sirius was there in the living room when Remus came back; he was about to ask him about their old professor when he noticed his friend’s weird expression

<<Did something happen, Moony?>>

<<No, no. It’s just…>>

He trailed off, looking completely puzzled

<<Out with it, Remus; you look like you’ve seen Snape smile>>

The other man did actually chuckle at his best mate’s joke, but it barely lasted a few seconds

<<While I was in Kiyrah’s room, I found something very strange…>>

Now that was interesting news

<<What was it?>>

Silence again. Sirius was not known for patience

<<Moony, will you please just sa->>

<<Bottled memories, Sirius; a plethora of them>>

Sirius was entirely perplexed at his friend’s words

<<Bottled memories? Are you sure?>>

<<Yes: they’re all stored in cabinets hidden within a manhole>>

<<What the->>

<<I tripped over the carpet, and saw the manhole when it moved away>>

<<She has a secret collection of memories?>>

<<That’s not all>>

<<What can be weirder than that?>>

Remus cleared his throat, seemingly needing to choose the correct words, and then continued

<<They’re all compartmentalised, carefully labelled, with differently coloured tags>>

<<She was always compulsive>>

<<Pads… There are our names on the bottles>>

<<SAY WHAT?>>

The DADA professor shut his friend up with his hands, then closed the door with a flick of his wand, adding a silencing charm just in case

<<There are our names on the bottles>>

<<On all of them?>>

<<No: some markers read “James”, others “Lily”->>

<<Our James and Lily?>>

<<I presume. But there are others with another name, one that you probably will not like>>

Sirius shuddered, squeezing his eyes shut

<<Whose is it?>>

Remus hesitated; Sirius gritted his teeth, biting out again

<<Whose is it, Moony?>>

With a resigned sigh, his fellow marauder answered

<<R.A.B.>>

And then Sirius lost it

<<MY BROTHER? WHAT IN GODRIC’S NAME HAS KIYRAH TO DO WITH MY BROTHER?>>

<<I don’t know->>

<<I want to see them>>

<<Come again?>>

<<I WANT TO SEE THOSE MEMORIES!>>

<<But we can’t steal them; if Kiyrah->>

<<Listen up, Moony -Sirius hissed, grabbing his friend’s vest and yanking him closer- if you don’t bring them here, I’ll go get them myself, and you know me well enough to be certain I’m not bluffing. So either you do as I say, or I’ll pay our old Head of House a little visit, got it?>>

Remus knew better than to argue with Sirius when he was in that state; quite frankly, in addition, he was curious too as to what those bottles contained, so he grabbed some more floo powder. Just when he was about to go, Sirius stopped him, grabbing him by the wrist: he looked like a lost little boy, grey eyes full of anxiousness

<<Moony, you don’t think->>

When his friend didn’t keep talking, he prompted

<<Think what, Padfoot?>>

<<You don’t think James, Evan and Marlene are actually my brother’s children, do you?>>

The taller man did a double-take: Sirius looked so confused, and even hurt…

<<No, Pads>>

The assertiveness and rapidity with which the reply came was a surprise

<<How do you know?>>

<<Kiyrah was bawling when she told me about you; she said she loved you, and only you. Never did she mention your sibling>>

<<I… She cried for me?>>

<<More times than she’d care to admit, Sirius. Now, can I go? I don’t want to risk bumping into Minerva>>

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kiyrah's collection looks somewhat like Dumbledore's vials that he kept in his office; the ones he shares with Harry in the 6th movie


	6. Familiar Taste of Poison

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I breathe you in again, just to feel you  
> Underneath my skin, holding on to  
> The sweet escape is always laced with a familiar taste of poison
> 
> (Halestorm)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Scrap-books are a thing of the past haha

<<Are you ready?>>

<<No>>

<<You wanted this>>

<<I know, but I’m scared!>>

<<Oh, how come? The great Sirius Orion Black is scared of diving headfirst into a bowl?>>

<<Shut up, Moony!>>

<<On the count of three, Padfoot. One, two->>

<<Wait! Whose memory was this one again?>>

<<Lily’s>>

<<Okay. One, two, three!>>

And they dunk their faces in the closest thing to a Pensieve they could find

* * *

_A little girl with a huge mane of dark hair sat alone on the train to Hogwarts, her face burrowed in a huge book as she read with interest; all of a sudden, the door to the compartment she was in opened, and a red-haired girl walked in, along with a raven-haired boy._

_When they saw her, the girl greeted her_

_< <Hi! Do you mind if we sit here? All the other booths are taken>>_

_The other child seemed surprised that someone was actually talking to her, and she opened her mouth a few times, but nothing came out; the visitors were put out_

_< <Do you speak English?>>_

_< <Yes, I do. I’m just amazed you’d want to share this cabin with me: most people avoid me like I have some kind of disease>>_

_The redhead seemed interested, and she sat beside her, throwing a glance at the volume in her hands: “Men Who Love Dragons Too Much”. Interesting choice_

_< <Why is that?>>_

_< <My last name has that effect on other 11-year-olds>>_

_< <What’s your name?>>_

_< <Kiyrah Estelle Blackmour>>_

_  
When neither of the two so much as flinched, her eyes widened_

_< <You- You’ve never heard of my family?>>_

_< <I have>> The boy interjected_

_< <One of the most ancient houses in the wizarding world; all of them are Slytherins>>_

_At his words, Kiyrah frowned_

_< <Some are Ravenclaws: I want to be a Ravenclaw>>_

_< <I doubt that will happen>>_

_The girl’s expression was becoming gloomier by the minute, when the red-haired child came to the rescue_

_< <Don’t listen to my friend, Kiyrah; he’s a little->>_

_< <He’s a killjoy>>_

_< <Yes, maybe he’s a little negative at times. By the way, my name is Lily Evans>>_

_After introducing herself, she outstretched a hand; Kiyrah smiled brightly and shook it with energy_

_< <Nice to meet you>>_

_< <Nice to meet you too>>_

* * *

When they straightened their backs, Remus and Sirius looked at each other, both of them thinking the same

<<Snivellus was not nice to her>>

<<She should have whacked him in the face with her book>>

<<“Men Who Love Dragons Too Much”; quite intensive for an eleven-year-old>>

<<She’s always been ahead of her years>>

They were silent for a few moments, then Sirius sighed, running his hands through his hair

<<I didn’t know she’d met Lily that young>>

<<Lily didn’t even remember her>>

Again, they paused, until Sirius spoke up

<<Moony, you know what this means, right?>>

He did, but he didn’t want to say it

<<She obliviated us>>

<<There has to be a good explanation for it>>

<<We should keep watching>>

<<Alright. What’s next?>>

<<This one is James’s>>

<<Pour it in>>

* * *

_< <Hello there, Evans! Mind if we join you?>> A black-haired boy with round glasses and a mischievous smile asked the redhead; she groaned_

_< <Smeg off, Potter!>>_

_< <You can come to my compartment if you want t->>_

_He couldn’t finish his sentence, because something pushed him out of the cabin._

_When Lily, Snape and the newcomer turned toward Kiyrah, they saw she had raised her wand_

_< <I don’t think Lily appreciates your insistence, Mr Whatever your name may be>>_

_Lily snickered, while the boy’s eyebrows rose high on his forehead_

_< <You cast a spell on me?>>_

_Kiyrah snorted_

_< <Thank you for stating the obvious>>_

_Not even remotely affected by her attitude, he persisted_

_< <How can you do that? We’re first years!>>_

_< <I’ve spent quite a lot of time observing my parents, and I learned from them>>_

_The smile appeared on the boy’s face once again, and he extended a hand for her to shake_

_< <You seem like a tough cookie, and I like that; my name’s James Potter, by the way>>_

_< <Careful, Kiyrah! Once he’s attached to you, you’ll never get rid of him!>>_

_The other girl laughed loudly, surprising even herself_

_< <I presume there’s nothing bad in making a few friends; I’m Kiyrah Blackmour>>_

_She shook his hand_

_< <Blackmour? As in Cassiopeia and Alister Blackmour?>>_

_At the mention of her parents, Kiyrah stiffened so much that she could have blended in with the armours on the walls of Hogwarts_

_< <Yes…>>_

_Fortunately, James caught the hint and steered the conversation toward happier topics_

_< <Nice to meet you! So, what house do you hope you’ll be sorted in?>>_

_Lily smiled when she saw how the brunette beamed; perhaps Potter wasn’t so bad after all_

_< <Ravenclaw; or Gryffindor, I can’t decide>>_

_< <You’re definitely a Ravenclaw>>_

_Kiyrah’s smile only widened_

_< <Really?>>_

_< <Who in their right state of mind would read that giant tome you have there?>>_

_The girl smirked, a sassy retort on the tip of her tongue_

_< <Oh, I guess you’re used to lighter readings; you know, things like ABCs and similar stuff>>_

_While James gaped, Lily burst into hysterics; Kiyrah looked so proud of herself, and elated that she’d made Lily laugh_

_< <You have quite a sharp tongue>>_

_< <Thank you for stating the obvious; again>>_

_Chortling, James shook his head_

_< <Well, Evans, I see you’re in very good hands. See you later, okay?>>_

_< <You won’t be that lucky, Potter>>_

_< <Aw, come on, Lily, he got to meet me; he is lucky indeed>>_

_This time, the redhead gawked at Kiyrah, while James was in stitches_

_< <I thought you were on my side!>>_

_< <I am! I’m sitting on your side of the compartment>>_

_Lily narrowed her eyes_

_< <That’s lame>>_

_Kiyrah just giggled, shrugging innocently_

_< <We’ll see you later, James>>_

_He nodded and walked away, gasping for breath as he laughed_

* * *

Both men dissolved into a fit of chuckles when they emerged

<<So she’s always been that sassy>>

<<It appears so… James liked her a lot>>

<<That thing she said, about him being lucky…>>

<<I know, I know: I would have said exactly the same thing>>

<<So… Now what?>>

<<Should we see one of mine or one of yours?>>

Sirius thought about it, and decided to go with one from Remus’s stash

* * *

_The four Marauders sat on the couch in their common room, trying so hard to keep their eyes open._

_Remus had just been dismissed from the infirmary, and he sported new, red cuts on his cheeks and nose._

_No one was in the common room, because classes were still going on, but they had decided to shirk their duties that day, because they were just too tired._

_All of a sudden, they heard the portrait open and someone walk in, but they didn’t turn to see who it was; at least, not until said person dropped a huge stack of papers with a loud thud in front of them, making them jump_

_< <You boys look like zombies>>_

_They knew that voice very well_

_< <Kiyrah! How did you get in here? You know the password?>>_

_The girl snorted, and sat down on the carpet, crossing her legs_

_< <James, in the five years I’ve known you, you’ve done nothing but point out the obvious>>_

_< <How do you know the password?>>_

_< <Sirius told me>>_

_Despite the tiredness, James wanted to get a few pokes in at his friends_

_< <Oh, for a cold lonely night so you can join him in his bed?>>_

_Both Sirius and Kiyrah blushed so hard they became redder than the common room walls, and they glared at their friend_

_< <You’re an ass>>_

_< <Oh please: you make heart-eyes at each other all the time. Anyway, what’s all this?>>_

_With a smirk, Kiyrah pulled herself together and retorted_

_< <Still stuck to the alphabet, Jamie?>>_

_Sirius couldn’t help but chortle, and Kiyrah smiled at him_

_< <That’s what I mean! Look at them! Wormtail, aren’t they obviously in love?>>_

_The plump boy just nodded, actually scared of Kiyrah. Said girl shrugged, and picked up some of the sheets in front of her_

_< <These are my notes from today’s classes: I made a copy for each one of you>>_

_The four guys gaped_

_< <But you don’t take notes>> Remus commented, puzzled. Kiyrah laughed_

_< <Oh, Rem Rem, don’t tell me you caught Jamie’s disease too?>>_

_< <You know I hate that nickname, Kir>>_

_< <You’ll hate it much less when you see what I have in here>>_

_She opened her bag and rummaged through its depths, plunging a whole arm inside and finally extracting a few bars of chocolates; upon seeing that, Remus’ eyes widened_

_< <You went to Honeyduke’s for us?>>_

_< <Yeah>>_

_< <But why…>>_

_They looked at her askance, evidently trying to figure out something_

_< <You are giving us your notes, and a part of the huge amount of chocolate I assume you’re carrying inside that tiny bag?>>_

_She just nodded, as if it were completely normal_

_< <Why are you doing this?>>_

_With nonchalance, Kiyrah replied_

_< <I know you spent yesterday night playing Little Red Riding Hood in the Forbidden Forest>>_

_Suddenly, all four boys were fully awake_

_< <What? You know?>>_

_< <How long has it been since you found out?>>_

_She shushed them, standing up_

_< <I think this conversation is too delicate to have in such a public space, don’t you agree?>>_

_They nodded, and so all five of them trudged up to the boys’ dorm, locking the door behind them and casting Muffliato_

_< <Now, out with it. How long have you known?>>_

_Kiyrah sat on James’ bed, happily munching on a chocolate bar and offering a piece to Remus, who accepted it gladly_

_< <Since the first year>>_

_< <WHAT?>>_

_< <Did you tell her, Moony?>>_

_< <No, he didn’t>>_

_< <Then how did you find out, pray tell?>>_

_The boys were frantic, while Kiyrah remained annoyingly calm; she continued to enjoy her treat, speaking every once in a while_

_< <You learn a lot from books, and I’ve read some about werewolves too; then, I noticed Remus was always ill when the moon reaches the fifth phase>>_

_< <Fifth phase?>>_

_< <When it’s full, Siri>>_

_He muttered something about her being an obnoxious Ravenclaw, but he was smiling at her. Remus, instead, was freaking out_

_< <Did you tell anyone?>>_

_< <No! Listen, Mooncake: your secret is safe with me>>_

_At that promise, the four dorm-mates halted, eyeballing her with surprise. She just smiled sweetly_

_< <How can you treat the matter so lightly? I’m a monster!>>_

_Kiyrah stood up and walked toward him, wrapping her arms around him_

_< <You’re not a monster, Mooncake; you’re a sweet, wonderful boy who’s been bitten when he was young and is carrying this burden with an incredible amount of maturity. Also, I think those scars make you look super cool>>_

_After a moment of stupor, he squeezed her tightly, stronger by the second_

_< <Thank you, Kay; you’re the best>>_

_< <And don’t you forget it>>_

_She was dwarfed by his height, but she didn’t care_

_< <Why didn’t you confront us if you knew?>>_

_< <I was waiting for you to tell me>>_

_Remus shifted uncomfortably_

_< <Well, guys, maybe we should tell her the rest of the story, too>>_

_James shrugged, smiling at Kiyrah_

_< <We might as well>>_

_Sirius took Kiyrah’s hand with the air of someone who has to deliver an important piece of news_

_< <We are Animagi, Kay>>_

_She was silent for a moment, but when she did reply, no one expected it at all_

_< <Oh, I know that too>>_

_< <WHAT?>>_

_< <Only animals can stay within the vicinity of werewolves and not get killed, obviously; I’ve found books about Animagi too>>_

_The four Gryffindors were speechless_

_< <You’ve known all this time…>>_

_< <Honestly, James, is that so staggering to you?>>_

_The boy’s lips formed a perfect “o”, while Remus and Sirius laughed madly_

_< <Dial it back on the moxie, smartass>>_

_< <You’re just jealous cause my Animagus is better than yours>>_

_Now that was a humongous piece of news._

_Sirius crouched to look her in the eyes, gawping overtly_

_< <Did you just say you have an Animagus form too?>>_

_< <Kind of>>_

_Remus sunk into his bed once again, completely amazed_

_< <You are incredible, Kay>>_

_< <What animal do you turn into?>>_

_< <My Patronus>>_

_< <Which is?>>_

_< <The animal I can turn into>>_

_Remus chortled; James did not find it funny_

_< <And what animal is the Patronus which you can turn into?>>_

_< <The one you’re asking me about>>_

_Sirius almost fell to the floor, and Remus lost it._

_James huffed_

_< <Impertinent woman>>_

_< <Thank you>>_

_< <Come on, tell us!>>_

_< <Better yet, _ _show us! >>_

_She shook her head, biting her lip_

_< <My form isn’t exactly… Inconspicuous>>_

_James snorted_

_< <It can’t be worse than a stag or a huge black dog>>_

_Kiyrah contradicted him once again_

_< <Well, now I’m curious: what is it?>>_

_Her cheeks tinged pink, and she looked away_

_< <You guys remember my Patronus, right?>>_

_Silence enveloped them for a few moments, during which the girl wrung her hands with apprehension. Then, Sirius boomed_

_< <A dragon? You can transform into a frigging dragon?>>_

_< <Yes…>>_

_Remus stuttered_

_< <I- I have so many questions>>_

_< <Why didn’t you tell us? When did you become an Animagus? Can we see you change, just once?>>_

_< <Hey, you didn’t tell me first!>>_

_< <We feared you wouldn’t understand>>_

_She shook her head, standing up to peck Remus’s cheek, making him blush_

_< <I do understand; I think what you boys are doing is wonderful, and brave. I would like to join you sometimes>>_

_< <I’ve always wanted to fly on a dragon>> James stated dreamily._

_Sirius leaned in toward Kiyrah and whispered in her ear_

_< <Yeah, I’d like to ride you, too>>_

_The girl’s face went through over one hundred different shades of red, and she shoved him away_

_< <Oh, come on, Kay! You’re never so shy!>>_

_< <I told you, Padfoot: she actually likes you. Don’t worry, K: he’s head over heels for you>>_

_As he watched the two “Blacks”, as they liked to call Sirius and Kiyrah, joke and bicker, Remus murmured to James_

_< <You know, just this once, you may actually be right>>_

* * *

<<You are a pig>>

Sirius was beside himself with laughter, gasping for breath as he tried to speak, with scarce results

<<“I‘d like to ride you too”... Priceless>>

In spite of himself, Remus cracked a smile, but regretted it as soon as the other man saw it, and began to tease him mercilessly

<<Shove a sock in it, Padfoot; it’s your turn now>>

He was a little hesitant, and fumbled with the tag of the bottle they’d chosen

<<Do you... Do you think there are some memories about me being an asshole to her?>>

With a pat on the back, Remus took the memory from him and poured it out of its container

<<No, Pads: these memories are evidently all the ones she deems significant. I doubt she’d want to remember your fights>>

Relieved, Sirius decided to joke a little

<<I hope there are some of us having makeup sex>>

Groaning, Remus facepalmed

<<You’ll look on your own in the red-branded section later, you randy idiot>>

The shorter man grinned widely, and they sunk their faces in the Pensieve

* * *

_< <Kiyrah! Lily! Over here!>>_

_James waved at the two girls, who shared a look and decided to join him. Snape muttered something about seeing them later, and vanished off somewhere._

_When the two reached him, the bespectacled boy smiled excitedly_

_< <I want to introduce you to my friends: this is Peter->>_

_He pointed at a short, pudgy boy with blonde hair, who nodded at the two newcomers_

_< <This is Remus>>_

_The slightly taller, sandy-haired guy murmured a timid hi, and the girls smiled at him. Then, James went on_

_< <And this, which I think you’ll particularly like Kiyrah->>_

_< <Why?>>_

_< <Because you’re very much alike. Anyway, this is Sirius>>_

_Lily greeted the black-haired boy, but Kiyrah gaped, eyes wide; what puzzled them even more was that Sirius’s expression exactly mirrored hers_

_< <You uncultured swine!>>_

_< <Fancy seeing you here, spoiled princess>>_

_For a moment, the rest of the first years feared the two did not like each other. Then, out of the blue, Kiyrah jumped in Sirius’s arms, hugging him and laughing; he squeezed her, smiling brightly_

_< <Hi!>>_

_< <Hi, Princess>>_

_Once she was on the ground again, their friends raised an eyebrow at them_

_< <Have you met before?>>_

_The girl rolled her eyes with a soft chuckle_

_< <James, stop stating the obvious>>_

_Sirius shook his head at her antics, laughing_

_< <Cut him some slack, Kay>>_

_< <Alright, alright, I’ll reformulate the question: how do you guys know each other?>>_

_The two shared a look and tittered_

_< <We met when we were five, during a terribly boring get-together our parents dragged us to>>_

_< <We got so bored we decided to pour some babbling beverage inside the guests’ drinks; you know, to spice it up>>_

_Lily openly gaped at this, while the three boys guffawed_

_< <How did you even come across that potion?>>_

_< <A good magician never reveals his secrets>>_

_< <True>>_

_The redhead face-palmed_

_< <And here I was thinking you were innocent, Kiyrah>>_

_< <Ha! As if! There’s not much I haven’t tried, growing up with this guy>>_

_< <You’ll have to tell us all your exploits; I can’t wait to hear about them>>_

_James was ecstatic._

_They all headed to the boats, and Sirius helped Kiyrah climb inside, resulting in a peck on the cheek_

_< <Thank you>>_

_< <For you, my dear, I’d do anything>>_

_< <Even take me on a date to Madam Puddifoot’s?>> She joked. He opened his mouth for a moment, but no sound came out, and she giggled_

_< <My brave knight in shining armour!>>_

_< <Don’t push it>>_

_< <Aw, you know you love me>>_

_< <I’ll make you fall in the water right now>>_

_< <If the giant squid gets me, I’ll come back as a ghost to haunt you>>_

_< <I’m not scared of ghosts>>_

_Kiyrah smirked deviously_

_< <You’d better be scared of me though>>_

_Sirius snorted_

_< <I’m the most annoying one between us>>_

_Never one to back down from a challenge, Kiyrah poked him in the ribs, and he jumped, prompting chortles from Lily, Remus, James and Peter. Sirius swatted her hand away, but she was back at it a second later, and then again; and again; and again._

_It went on for almost five minutes, until Sirius winced so hard he almost fell in the lake, if Kiyrah didn’t grab him by the tie, yanking him back in the boat. Both their cheeks coloured when they realised how close their faces were_

_< <F-Fine, you win>>_

_< <O-Of c-course I do>>_

_The moment was ruined by James, who shouted_

_< <Now kiss!>>_

_Both Sirius and Kiyrah swatted him on the shoulders_

* * *

<<You almost made out in front of us>>

<<We were kids! How could we know anything about snogging?>>

<<Anyway... Did you notice how happy she was to see you?>>

Sirius smiled absentmindedly, cackling a little

<<She was adorable as a kid; I can’t believe I’ve forgotten her smile>>

Remus scoffed

<<You’re so in love with her, Padfoot>>

<<But I don’t remember her!>>

<<You told me earlier that you did>>

<<Oh. So that’s what that weird feeling was...>>

<<Exactly. Now, what do you want to see?>>

<<Another one of mine; hopefully, it’ll be a good moment of our marriage that I don’t recall>>

<<Let’s see...>>

Remus poked around in the shelves, and grabbed a bottle whose label was slightly less worn than those they’d been watching until now

<<Here we go...>>


	7. Black Wedding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tonight  
> I would've loved you for a thousand years  
> I would've died for you  
> I would've sacrificed it all my dear  
> I would've bled for you  
> 'Til death do us part  
> You were unholy right from the start  
> It's a nice night for a black wedding  
> Yeah it's a nice night for a black wedding
> 
> (In This Moment)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: this chapter contains explicit sexual content. I will mark the start and the end with asterisks.  
> If you do not want to, do not read it

_A fifteen-year-old Sirius stood on the balcony, smoking a cigarette, staring up at the sky with a heavy heart: he’d just had a fight with his parents, and had retreated to his room for some peace and quiet._

_Suddenly, the door opened slowly, and the creaking noise caused him to turn and snarl_

_< <I’m not going back to the ball! Leave me alone!>>_

_< <The idea of bringing you there didn’t even touch my mind>>_

_He did a double-take, realising it was Kiyrah who’d come to check on him: he was still amazed at how often she did that. That girl looked after him more than his own parents did -not that it’d take much to top that_

_< <What are you doing? Your mom will flip if she doesn’t find you dancing with every potential suitor in the room>>_

_He took a good look at her: her hair fell down her back in soft coils, and her lips were lacquered with blood-red lipstick; she donned a midnight blue dress that let the shoulders in plain sight, hugging her bust just right to highlight her curves, and then it flowed to the ground, studded with small crystals. All in all, she looked entirely breathtaking_

_< <To hell with them; the only boy I care about left the party about a quarter of an hour ago>>_

_With a small smile, Sirius decided to tease her_

_< <Then you’d better go chase him>>_

_Kiyrah reached for the cigarette and grabbed it before he could retract his hand, and she threw it down the balcony, watching at it disappeared in the dark._

_Sirius grunted_

_< <I didn’t appreciate that>>_

_She shrugged_

_< <I don’t like it when you smoke: you smell like an ashtray, and it’s bad for you>>_

_He huffed, taking her by the shoulders and turning her around_

_< <If you came here to spoil my fun you can leave, Kay>>_

_She cupped his chin, skimming her thumb over his lips, making him shiver_

_< <Simmering with anger on your own won’t do you any good>>_

_He groaned with annoyance, pushing her away_

_< <I don’t need a fucking baby sitter, Kiyrah! You can leave!>>_

_With a sigh, Kiyrah complained_

_< <I know what you’re trying to do, Sirius: you don’t want anyone to see because you don’t want anyone to bear your pain. The point is, I’m unhappy when you’re unhappy; your pain is my pain._

_Don’t shut me out, darling >>_

_She pleaded_

_< <What do you want?>>_

_< <I want to be there for you>>_

_She explained, softly caressing his cheek_

_< <Why?>>_

_After a moment of silence, she answered_

_< <Because I love you>>_

* * *

Both men immediately resurfaced, looking at one another; Sirius’s eyes were wide, while Remus was grinning with satisfaction

<<I told you she loves you>>

His friend stammered, not knowing what to say

<<I- I->>

<<Maybe it’s better if you see this one on your own, Padfoot: I have the feeling things are gonna heat up>>

<<Oh Godric->>

He dipped his head in the bowl once again; the scene was just where he’d left it

* * *

_< <Come again??>>_

_The younger Sirius apparently felt exactly like the older one_

_< <I love you, numbskull; is it so hard to believe?>>_

_He nodded_

_< <I’m an idiot who flirts with all the girls in school and wouldn’t know how to handle a relationship even if my life depended on it>>_

_She giggled, pressing a finger to his lips_

_< <You flirt, yes, but that’s who you are; you joke around all the time>>_

_< <I don’t think you know what you’re getting yourself into>>_

_She rested her head on his chest, sneaking her arms around him_

_< <I want you; is it really so wrong?>>_

_< <I have- You can’t- We can’t->>_

_The soft brush of her hand on his face made him jump, and he looked her in the eyes, noticing they were slightly glazed over; that sight made his heart clench_

_< <Honey, if you don’t like me that way, just say it. Just because I told you I love you, doesn’t mean you have to s->>_

_He interrupted her pressing his lips to hers, squeezing her against himself; he felt her melt in his arms, her body moulding against his. It was the best feeling in the world._

_Her hands sunk in his hair and she pulled, careful not to rip them out but hard enough to make him growl._

_Finally, when the burning in their lungs got too strong to ignore, they pulled away, trying to catch their breath_

_< <I’ve wanted to do that forever>>_

_Kiyrah blinked, befuddled_

_< <You wanted to kiss me?>>_

_< <Kiss you, hold you... Tell you that I love you>>_

_Her jaw hit the floor, and he chuckled at her expression_

_< <You... You love me?>>_

_< <Madly; have for quite some time, actually. James and Remus tease me ruthlessly all the time because I can’t work up the sand to tell you>>_

_< <How- How long-?>>_

_< <Since we met, basically; though I realised it when we studied Amortentia in potions class>>_

_With a giggle, Kiyrah asked him_

_< <What did yours smell like?>>_

_< <Old books, ink, flowers... And that lotion you like to use so much. What about yours?>>_

_< <I wanted to throttle you when I took a whiff>>_

_< <Why?!>>_

_< <Cause it was worse than inhaling the smoke of a chimney, you asshole>>_

_He grinned like an idiot, and she laughed_

_< <Cigarettes, hair gel... In short, Sirius Black>>_

_He sniggered, pressing his lips to her forehead_

_< <That means you actually like the scent of smoke>>_

_< <No, I don’t>>_

_He gripped her hips tightly, slowly but steadily guiding her backwards, and she was squished between the wall and his body; one of his hands dove under her skirt and found her leg, hitching it up so that it hooked around his hips, and then he cupped her chin, while she pressed her palms on the plaster she was lying against._

_Kiyrah was blushing furiously; she swore she could feel her heart thump so loudly in her chest that Sirius certainly heard it, and her gaze fell down_

_< <But you find me attractive with a cigarette dangling from my lips, don’t you, darling?>>_

_She shivered, but shook her head_

_< <No need to get all poetic, Sirius. I do find you rather passable with that monstrosity in your mouth>>_

_< <Just passable?>> He insisted, as his fingers inched up her thigh, coming to rest on her hip, playing with the side of her knickers_

_< <I hate that infernal object>>_

_< <Well, then... How do I look when I’m cigarette-free?>>_

_She took a few moments to answer, during which her hands flew over his chest, nails slightly scraping the skin through the cotton of his shirt; it was enough to make him growl and crush her even closer to his body, which was starting to stir up. She craned her neck to bring her lips next to his ear, and whispered_

_< <You look eminently fuckable, Padfoot>>_

_A growl rumbled in his throat, and he pulled away to roughly spin her around, reaching for the zipper of her dress and yanking it down without a warning._

_His chest came into contact with her back as he slipped the gown from her skin, kissing her neck while he was at it; the groans she released and the surreptitious way she pressed her rear against him spurred him on, and he let the dress fall to the ground without a care, throwing her over his shoulder and laying her on his bed, while he took off his shirt and belt as his eyes feasted over every millimetre of exposed skin_

* * *

<<Moony, did this memory have a red tag?>> Sirius gasped, his eyes closed as he fought to keep the image of Kiyrah sprawled on his bed like a banquet in his mind

<<Uh, yes. Why, is it getting... Indecent?>>

<<Oh, yes>>

<<Well, I... I think I’ll go retrieve some more bottles from Kiyrah’s room, and put back the ones we’ve used. I’ll... See you later>>

<<Uh uh>>

Not even waiting for Remus to be actually gone, Sirius went back to his fantasy, as his and Kiyrah’s younger selves picked up from where they’d left off.

* * *

**_***********************************************************************************************************************************************************_ **

_As soon as he’d removed his belt and shirt, he hastily rid himself of his trousers, and climbed on the mattress next to her, letting his gaze rake over her once again_

_< <Merlin, you’re a vision>>_

_She bit her lip and looked away, but he cupped her chin and brought her eyes back to his, leaning in to kiss her while his other hand explored her body; she wrapped her arms around his neck, toying with the hair on his nape while crooning in appreciation as he caressed her skin._

_When his palm stopped on her breast, she sharply sucked in a breath, and he interrupted the snogging_

_< <Darling, we don’t have to do this if you don’t want to. We can just stop here and->>_

_He trailed off when he saw her reach behind her back to unhook her corset, prying the constriction from her waist and chucking it somewhere in the room before lunging toward him, kissing him with renewed fervour. He responded in kind, bringing both hands to her chest this time, giving her a rough squeeze that earned him a pair of legs around his waist as they necked with abandon._

_Finally, when the straps of her bra slipped from her shoulders, they worked a little to take the garment off; when they did, he was in play-land: his mouth immediately caught her nipple, and she arched her back, sinking her fingers in his hair and pulling_

_< <Ah, honey...>>_

_< <Mh, no... You’re infinitely sweeter, my dear>>_

_She had no time to giggle, because he slithered his fingers inside her panties and teased her nub, making her moan_

_< <I bet this tastes even better, love...>>_

_She planted her eyes on his, and they stared at each other for a while, as he eased a finger inside her opening, watching her like a hawk_

_< <Mhhhhhh, seeing you squirm for me is divine, love. Do you think you could make those delightful little sounds again?>>_

_She shivered and spread her legs_

_< <Maybe if you get to work, I will>>_

_In the blink of an eye, he ripped her panties off and lowered his head to rest between her thighs, doing wonders with his tongue. She panted, leaning against the headboard, gripping his hair like a lifeline_

_< <Oh yes, right there- Ah!>>_

_He brought his fingers back to her slit and sunk two deep inside her, enjoying the scream she released. It was heady, knowing he was the one who had reduced her to a moaning, begging mess; his blood boiled, and he restored the assault with aggression._

_Kiyrah shrieked, shamelessly begging for more, and he complied, flicking his tongue faster against her, curving his fingers to make her arch her back off the mattress_

_< <Si-Sirius, I- I’m gonna- Fucking hell->>_

_He sweet talked her, unrelenting_

_< <Give yourself over to me, love>>_

_She did._

_She let go with a scream, and slumped on the bed, squeezing her eyes closed and gasping for breath. She had never, ever experienced anything like that, not even close: it was a warm, incredible feeling, like she had been reborn at the hands of the man on top of her._

_Kiyrah knew nothing about sex, but that much she could understand: it wouldn’t be even remotely as wonderful, if it wasn’t for those beautiful eyes that could spy her soul, those gorgeous, incredibly soft lips, and the man to whom they belonged._

_The man she loved._

_She grabbed his face and pressed a long, passionate kiss to his lips, almost as if to thank him_

_< <Love, there’s no need for that: Heaven knows it was a reward for me. You tasted glorious>>_

_She snickered, brushing her fingers over his cheekbone_

_< <Then we’re even>>_

_At that, he immediately sat up, showing her the great... Effect her squirming and moaning had on him_

_< <Oh, not yet, my darling. Think you’re ready to take it to the next level?>>_

_She smiled._

_Yes, he was showing off, but she saw right through him: he was giving her a chance to back out. Like she was going to back-pedal now, now that she was so close to having him. At least physically._

_A sultry grin on her red-smudged lips, Kiyrah got on all-fours and crawled toward him, making him recline down on the mattress; he was surprised, but curious and intrigued nonetheless._

_Just looking up at her smirking face, surrounded by her chocolate locks, and then trailing his eyes down to her breasts almost made him lose it. He reached out and cupped her mounds, sighing contentedly, until he noticed the lusty sparkle in her gaze, and shuddered_

_< <The question is... Are you, Sirius?>>_

_He looked down, and then back at her_

_< <Isn’t it obvious?>>_

_With a chuckle, she rubbed her opening against his shaft, making him groan_

_< <Oh, I don’t know... Let’s see...>>_

_Holding his hands, she lowered herself on him, crying out when he filled her to the hilt_

_< <Oh... Yes, now I see you are very eager...>>_

_He bucked his hips desperately, hoping to make her move_

_< <You like having me riding you? You like the feel of me around your cock?>>_

_He released an animalistic growl and flipped them over, grinning smugly at her surprised face_

_< <Let me show you just how much, Kay>>_

_He pulled almost completely out of her, before slipping back in with one harsh thrust; Kiyrah yelled uncontrollably_

_< <Yes! More, please, more!>>_

_< <Right away, my darling>>_

_He snapped his hips savagely, ravishing her with force, immensely enjoying her mewls and the sound of skin slapping against skin; Kiyrah, in the meantime, was drawing fiery patterns with her nails on his back, revelling in the delicious friction_

_< <Harder, Sirius>>_

_The bed creaked, but he did not care._

_The whole party could probably hear them, but he did not give a damn._

_He wanted the whole world to know that she was his and his alone, despite her parents wanting to marry her off to the first suitable match._

_He had almost burned his room down when he found out her mother was actually considering Malfoy as her potential son-in-law._

_Kiyrah would never accept._

_And now, now that she’d told him she loved him, as he loved her... Now that he’d had a taste of how heavenly his life was with her, he was all the more determined to fight for her, and their happiness. If Kiyrah really had to marry someone, she would marry him: he’d treat her right, make her happy, kiss her whenever he could and fuck her so hard she wouldn’t be able to walk the next day, as would probably the case after they finished... Exercising._

_She was panting, rubbing her feet on his lower back, shouting at the top of her lungs_

_< <Harder, Sirius! Fuck me harder! Make me forget my name!>>_

_He had no idea she was so insatiable, but it ignited his lust to no end._

_He gave it his all._

_Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Kiyrah came, bellowing and crying out, convulsing beneath him; he did not relent and continued to thrust madly in and out of her, until he too reached his climax and spilled inside her, collapsing on top of her_

**_***********************************************************************************************************************************************************_ **

_While they recovered for a while, he rolled to his side and began peppering her face with kisses_

_< <That was amazing>>_

_< <Absolutely incredible; we should do it again sometime>>_

_He smiled, burying his face in her hair_

_< <You know, Kay... We could do this every day if we were married>>_

_She froze, and turned to look up at him_

_< <You... You want to marry me?>>_

_Sirius nodded, smiling, pecking her lips_

_< <I know your parents are trying to palm you off on someone; why not me? I am a pure blood, even though that is of no particular value to me, and I come from an ancient and noble family, which again rates less than zero in my eyes, but not theirs. I am on the same level as Malfoy, and far better than him for you._

_Be my wife, Kiyrah._

_I promise I’ll make you happy >>_

_She cried; she actually cried._

_Before he could speak again, though, she pulled him in for the most intense and passionate kiss they’d shared as of yet_

_< <Yes, yes, and yes again! Of course I want to marry you, my love>>_

_He beamed_

_< <You do?>>_

_She nodded enthusiastically, smooching him again_

_< <Nothing would make me happier>>_

_Elated, Sirius stretched and sprawled himself out on the mattress, a dumb grin on his lips_

_< <This is the best day of my life>>_

_< <So far, love. I promise I’ll make you repeat that sentence every single day of our married life>>_

_< <You can take “married” out of that sentence, love. And, if you plan on doing something like this so often, I think I’ll be a very happy man>>_

_She giggled, slapping him playfully_

_< <You’re insatiable>>_

_< <I’m the best you’ve ever had, darling. And the best you’ll ever have>>_

_She blushed, biting her lip_

_< <What is it, my darling?>>_

_< <You’re the only one I’ve ever had, honey, and the only one I’ll ever have>>_

_He paled_

_< <You... You were a virgin?>>_

_< <Yes>>_

_He immediately pulled away to inspect her body, eyes blown wide_

_< <Why didn’t you tell me?! I would have been less rough, I would have made it special; you deserve it. You deserve that and more->>_

_< <Hey, you worrywart, come here>>_

_The young woman cupped his face in her hands, bringing him closer to her, looking him in the eyes_

_< <You did not hurt me, at all; it was wonderful, incredible, mind-blowing... I can go on for days>>_

_He gaped; she decided to throw in a little joke, just for kicks_

_< <As I’m sure you can, too...>>_

_He threw his head back and laughed loudly, holding his stomach_

_< <You are a pest, Kiyrah Black>>_

_Her toothy grin only worsened his hysterics_

_< <I’m a Black>>_

_< <Not yet, my love, but you will be>>_

_She smirked, scooted away from him and beckoned him closer_

_< <Well, while we are at it, why don’t you practice making me a Black some mour?>>_

_He pounced on her right away_

_< <That joke was lame, my future wife; I’ll have to punish you>>_

_She sighed, impossibly aroused_

_< <Then punish me, my future husband...>>_

_Needless to say, none of them got out of his bedroom for the rest of the evening._

* * *

Sirius was amazed; perplexed; confused... He could go on for days. So they had gotten married because he’d asked her to.

They had probably found some way to manipulate her parents into choosing him as her intended husband, and then their wish had come true. Why had she decided that she wanted to obliviate him all of a sudden?

He’d been a particularly shitty husband for sure, but only because she had harassed him to no end; could he really be blamed?

He just wanted to understand

<<What’s with the long face? Something wrong?>> Sirius turned to see his best mate holding some more bottles in his arms

<<We will never manage to examine each and every one of them, so I grabbed those that appeared to be the most worn. A caution, Padfoot>>

His friend stepped toward him, relieving him of some of the weight

<<What is it, Moony?>>

<<There are some with a black tag; I have a horrible hunch>>

Sirius gulped, uncorking another red-labelled one

<<Did you know ours wasn’t an arranged marriage?>>

<<No? But you always complained that your parents->>

<<In the memory I just watched, I proposed immediately after sleeping with her, with a rather flowery speech in addition; she agreed wholeheartedly>>

Remus smiled, and would have patted him on the back, if he wasn’t holding all those flasks

<<Aren’t you happy, Padfoot? That means you are in love>>

<<Why did she obliviate us, Moony? Why did she obliviate me? I could have been there for her, but she didn’t even ask me if I wanted to>>

<<I... I think we will find the answer in one of the black vials, Pads. You want to see that one first?>> The taller man questioned, hinting at the open beaker in his friend‘s grasp

<<Yeah... I’m not looking for porn, I just want to see some of our good moments>>

<<Fine for me, Padfoot; go watch it. I’ll tidy up in the meantime>>

With a lot less enthusiasm, Sirius poured the shimmery essence in the pensieve, proceeding to examine the story it would hold

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lame joke in the title, I know


	8. Picture Perfect

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'd give up my eyes to see you one last time  
> And I'd give all my fingertips to touch you  
> And I could paint you picture perfect even if I were blinded  
> But you had to die for me to see how to live
> 
> (Escape the Fate)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: this chapter contains sexual content; it's not entirely explicit, but it's there.  
> If you do not want to, do not read it.
> 
> The final part (the one not in italics) is the part needed to understand the next chapter

_Kiyrah closed the door behind her back, ready to dive into bed after a long, tiresome day. She was startled when she spotted a dark figure sitting on the edge of the mattress, but relaxed when she made out the contours of the face in the feeble candlelight, hid by a mass of luscious black locks_

_< <What are you doing in my room?>>_

_He gave her the stink eye_

_< <I’m your husband; I’m allowed to visit your room whenever I want>>_

_Oh, so he wanted to play it like that. Very well; she was prepared_

_< <I’m amazed you’re aware of that: you never seem to set foot in this chamber. It’s like you think I have the plague or something>>_

_< <Shut up, vixen>>_

_< <While I do appreciate foxes, they wouldn’t be my first choice of Patronus, nor if I became an Animagus->>_

_< <You think you’re funny, you bloody hellcat? News flash: you’re not>>_

_< <Not to you, you dog>>_

_He inhaled sharply, and opened his mouth to ask her something, but she didn’t let him_

_< <Since you failed to provide an answer to my question before, I will reiterate it, slower: what are you doing in my bloody bedroom?>> She was ticked off._

_Naturally so: he was being his usual, douchebag self._

_Sure, she was supposed to tolerate him like that; it had been her choice. But that day, she felt especially wary… After spending hours listening to her parents going on and on about how much of a failure she was… It stung, whether she loved them and cared about their opinion of her or not._

_She didn’t, either. But it still hurt._

_Sirius sighed, reaching for his wand; seconds later, a light chased away the darkness, even though it wasn’t strong enough to illuminate the whole room._

_When she actually saw his face she jumped back, gasping_

_< <What in Merlin’s name happened to you?>>_

_Despite his split lip, he managed to smirk_

_< <Is that worry I hear in your voice, Kiyrah?>>_

_The woman fumed, her patience wearing thin, and spun on her heels, clenching her fists_

_< <Very well, Mr Fearless; I’m sure you know how to patch yourself up>>_

_She spat, annoyed, and began walking toward the door, when a hand clasped her arm tightly, blocking her advance_

_< <Wait, stop>>_

_They remained in that position for a few moments; then, at last, he murmured_

_< <I’m sorry>>_

_She yanked her limb from his grasp and turned to look at his expression; noticing the sincere repentance in his eyes, she heaved a resigned sigh_

_< <Sit back down on the bed, moron>>_

_He did, without batting an eyelid. In the meantime, she crouched and produced a small case from under her mattress, heaving it up and letting it fall next to him, then proceeded to perch herself beside him, opening it._

_His eyes scanned the contents, recognising medical supplies like plasters, cotton wool, painkillers, disinfectant… She had an entire pharmacy in there_

_< <This might sting a little>>_

_He flinched when her hands came into contact with his face, but let her take care of him. She delicately dabbed the soft white material on his wounded skin, staining it with blood_

_< <Why do you have so much stuff under your bed? Do you work at the hospital part-time?>>_

_She scoffed, throwing the used cotton wool away before grabbing a new lump, wetting it with antiseptic_

_< <Are you implying that I might differ from the classic stereotype of the shirker, arrogant pure-blood wife you wed, Mr Black?>>_

_A snort went through his nose, making him groan in pain_

_< <Don’t do that, you idiot; I think it’s broken>>_

_< <Nah, don’t exaggerate. It was just a punch>>_

_< <Who gave it to you?>>_

_With a sigh, he turned away from her gaze, but not before noticing a spark of something in her eyes- was it concern? Could it be? Really?_

_Silence met her words._

_In reality, Kiyrah knew what he underwent almost daily at the hands of his parents, but had never witnessed the signs of it in person; it made her heart ache. Without saying anything, she cupped his chin and craned his head in her direction, resuming her operations with the cotton wool._

_Sirius was amazed: she had dropped the question just like that, without further rubbing salt in the wound._

_It was bad enough that she had walked in on him like that… What the hell had he been thinking, hiding into her bedroom, of all places?_

_But now, he no longer regretted that decision: there she was, tending to his injuries as any loving wife would do with her husband, not pressing any issues he felt uncomfortable with; had he misjudged her that much? Had he been completely wrong in assuming she was just like the other pure-blood witches he had known in is young life? It certainly seemed so._

_They sat in silence, until he became overwhelmed, and decided to initiate small talk_

_< <Seriously, why do you keep all that stuff in your room?>>_

_She gave him a meaningful look, lowering her hand, and sighed_

_< <You’re not the only one who never sees eye to eye with his family>>_

_Her words made him freeze to the bone._

_She knew._

_How did she know?_

_< <How… How do you->>_

_< <Oh, please, Sirius, don’t trifle with me. Who else could it be? You may be hotheaded, but not so much that you would purposefully seek out opportunities for a fight; actually, it seems like trouble might be the one that always comes looking for you._

_You didn’t meet people you dislike, recently, and you didn’t join a martial art, boxing or similar clubs; had that been the case, you would have looked like this more often. Not that I see you enough to be sure about that, but still._

_I most certainly am not responsible for that, so that leaves only one possible explanation._

_Am I wrong? >>_

_His jaw dropped to the floor, and he stared at her wide-eyed. She rolled her eyes, snickering_

_< <There is a reason the Sorting Hat put me in Ravenclaw>>_

_He was enthralled by her; she was actually… Cute, when she laughed. Her eyes shone, and her lips looked very appealing…_

_It was like he was seeing her for the first time._

_But he pulled himself together: there was a question he needed answered_

_< <When you said that I’m not the only one who’s never on good terms with his family… Did you mean->>_

_< <That they hit me too?>>_

_He flinched, but nodded; so did she_

_< <Yes, I meant exactly that>>_

_< <Why didn’t you tell me?>>_

_He cried. She snorted_

_< <You weren’t exactly willing to be my pick-me-up, darling>>_

_Her voice was dripping with sarcasm. He rolled his eyes, exasperated_

_< <You treated me like shit!>>_

_< <Oh, the pot is calling the kettle black. And yes, the pun was intended>>_

_He laughed. He actually laughed, so hard that his nose hurt but he paid it no mind; she did_

_< <Stop, you idiot! You’ll burst more blood vessels!>>_

_He shook his head, still chuckling_

_< <You’re delightful>>_

_She blinked, eyeballing him like he had grown a third eye_

_< <You must have taken a very bad hit to the head>>_

_He only chortled more, leaning back against the mattress. She followed suit, a small smile on her lips_

_< <I really don’t understand what’s so funny about that joke>>_

_He panted, snickering, and rolled on his side to look at her; she reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind his ear_

_< <It looks better already>>_

_Unexpectedly, he grabbed her left hand, holding it tightly in his own. She blushed._

_He fiddled with her wedding band, twirling it around her ring finger_

_< <Why did you never tell me you’re different from them?>>_

_Pain permeated his tone, despite his attempt to control it. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, then looked straight at him_

_< <Because I’m not supposed to be like this>>_

_< <You thought I would rat on you to your parents?>>_

_He was rather offended_

_< <No, not at all. I simply feared our families would try to take away any happiness that might originate from our relationship>>_

_< <That’s a very sad perspective>>  
<<But highly feasible, unfortunately>>_

_Exhaling resignedly, he found himself unable to disagree_

_< <Damn those lunatics. Do we not deserve to enjoy life? Have we not suffered enough at their hands?>>_

_< <You’re assimilating my life to yours>>_

_< <Precisely; why, is it that different?>>_

_< <How could I know?>>_

_He smirked, leaning closer to her face_

_< <There is a reason the Sorting Hat put you in Ravenclaw>>_

_It was her turn to lose it: she shook with peal after peal of laughter, her eyes crinkled and her teeth were on display; it was one of those belly laughs that spread to anyone who witnessed it._

_And, in fact, he joined the merriment_

_< <You’re an idiot>>_

_< <But you love me>>_

_They both froze._

_Sirius bit his tongue and mentally slapped himself._

_How could I be such an idiot? It was going so well! Now she’s going to kick me out of here and avoid me for months to come._

_Good job, dumbass; and to think this might have actually turned out to be something special…_

_Kiyrah felt her heart beat rapidly, so much so she thought she would faint. Why had he said that? Was he expecting a reply? Most importantly, what kind of reply?_

_Should she deny her feelings? Or admit that she was, indeed, head over heels in love with him?_

_Could she lie to him anymore?_

_Her heart fluttered; no. Not that night._

_They had earned the right to a little corner of happiness, all for themselves, and she was going to enjoy it fully._

_She looked at him, ready to reveal the truth, when something stopped her: did he love her?_

_How could he? She had never let him know the real her. He certainly despised the hateful shrew she pretended to be, and that was about all he had ever seen of her; what was there to love about such a vicious disposition and cutting tongue? Such an unfeeling heart and uncaring attitude?_

_Nothing._

_But she wanted to tell him the truth anyway. She needed to_

_< <I do>>_

_His heart almost burst with joy, and he smiled so brightly she doubted the sun was actually in the sky, and not in that room with her, right then.  
She couldn’t help herself_

_< <Do you… Is there any chance that you->>_

_He silenced her with a kiss._

_At first, her eyes grew wide and she froze in his embrace as he wrapped his arms around her waist, but as she accepted that it wasn’t a dream, that he was really there with her, pressing his lips against hers, she poured her heart and soul into the kiss, carding her fingers through his tresses, pulling him closer._

_Meanwhile, he had closed his eyes, too, allowing himself to get lost in the wonderful sensation._

_They had never done anything like that; their wedding kiss had been perfunctory and could barely, if at all, be classified as a sign of affection._

_After the ceremony, they had avoided each other as best as they could._

_And now he was lying on top of her, pressed together so tightly they both felt all the contours, soft and hard, of the other’s body, and it spurred them on even more._

_Finally, he pulled away_

_< <Yes>>_

_< <Y-Yes?>>_

_He snickered, kissing the tip of her nose_

_< <I remember you, from when we were kids. I don’t know why you insisted on making me believe you were just like them, but now I see that the real you is the one you showed me, not them… I never managed to tell you, but I had- well, I still do, have a major crush on you; the real you._

_But that was years ago. If we give it a chance, I’m sure this could grow into something so much more intense… And beautiful >>_

_She gawped at him, amazed by his words_

_< <Wow… I didn’t know you could be so… Eloquent>>_

_He cackled_

_< <Oh, come on, darling… That was unnecessary>>_

_She giggled_

_< <To you, perhaps; I happen to find it funny>>_

_He growled playfully and tackled her to the mattress, making her squeal_

_< <I’m being attacked by a vicious beast!>>_

_< <Oh, I’ll show you vicious>>_

_That said, he began nipping at her neck, right where her jaw curved._

_What happened next, neither of them could have anticipated: she moaned, loudly, clearly enjoying his attentions. But, once she realised that sound had come from her, she blushed, hard._

_He pulled away, needing to see her face._

_She was biting her lip and looking away, a red hue colouring her cheeks_

_< <That was embarrassing>>_

_She expected him to snicker, or to say something cheeky; instead, he leaned toward her, eating away at the distance between them, halting only when their mouths were separated by barely one inch_

_< <To you, perhaps>>_

_She gulped; his gaze shifted between her eyes and her lips_

_< <I happened to enjoy it, a lot>>_

_That was enough for her to fling her arms around his neck and kiss him aggressively, with bruising abandon; he responded in kind, sliding his hands along the curves of her flanks, creating a delicious friction._

_At some point, his body began to respond to the sudden agitation; he stilled, too embarrassed to say something._

_Why did he shy away? He had been with many girls, and never had he been reticent about how passionate he could be. What was it about her that made him feel like an inexperienced teenager who had finally kissed his crush?_

_She was special._

_That he knew.  
And he wanted to make it special for her._

_In that moment, he heard her laugh: not at him, though; simply because she’d… Noticed the intrusion_

_< <Bonsoir, monsieur>>_

_He chuckled, but only for a moment_

_< <If we’re gonna do this, we have to do this properly>>_

_< <When did we ever do something the proper way?>>_

_At those words he could not refrain from laughing wholeheartedly_

_< <You really are delightful, darling>>_

_She smiled at him, one of those smiles that reached one’s eyes; he decided it was his new favourite thing to witness_

_< <You too, idiot>>_

_He brought a hand to his chest, feigning sadness_

_< <I’m hurt by your oh so low opinion of me>>_

_With a snicker, she scraped her nails down his throat with just enough pressure to drive him crazy_

_< <It appears you opinion of me is low, too, if you get what I mean…>>_

_Sirius threw his head back and laughed, hard, while Kiyrah smiled; she loved making him laugh, especially like that. Unfortunately, it had not happened in years…_

_< <You are bloody incredible, you know that?>>_

_She blushed, and tittered; he pecked her forehead_

_< <And adorable>>_

_< <How can I be adorable? I look like a dusty curtain in this…>>_

_He waited to see what she would say, and Kiyrah decided to let herself go_

_< <In this fucking, shitty, horrible dress>>_

_Sirius gaped; then, almost immediately, his mouth curved upward and he grinned widely_

_< <You swore! I can’t believe this!>>_

_< <I do it very often, sweetie>>_

_His gaze turned sultry, and he pushed himself even further against her_

_< <Darling, if your fucking dress is so uncomfortable… You can take it off, you know>>_

_Kiyrah’s face turned the colour of the Gryffindor badge, and she floundered. Seeing that, he hurried to add, dropping the act_

_< <Only if you want to. If you don’t, we can- I mean, I certainly want to- Oh Godric I sound like a pervert->>_

_He finally shut up when she pressed a kiss to his lips, skating her hands down his chest_

_< <I do want to>>_

_Her words surprised him, but he smiled_

_< <And, you are a pervert. But I love that about you>>_

_< <So all the jokes you dismissed as outrageous and unbecoming…>>_

_< <Had me in stitches as soon as I ran to my bedroom>>_

_< <I’m so proud>>_

_< <Me too, of my talent as an actress. I can’t believe I managed not to laugh>>_

_< <You must really care for me>>_

_She caressed his cheek softly, nodding her head_

_< <I do>>_

_They fell silent._

_Not because they did no longer know what to say, but because they preferred to employ their mouths in something else._

_The kiss was passionate. If possible, even more than the previous ones._

_His hands reached the buttons of her gown, and he cussed upon noticing how many they were. She giggled_

_< <You know you can use magic, don’t you?>>  
He stopped momentarily_

_< <I am an idiot>>_

_< <But I love you>>_

_< <Despite that?>>_

_< <Also for that>>_

_His smile put any star to shame in that moment._

_With a flick of his wand, the task was accomplished, and he immediately began to push it off of her, delighting in the scarlet colour of her cheeks and neck_

_< <I couldn’t wait to take this off>>_

_He wiggled his eyebrows_

_< <You know, I would have no qualms with you walking around skyclad; but maybe it’s better if you do that when we’re alone>>_

_Tugging an arm out of a rather constricting sleeve, she offered him a shark grin_

_< <Well, I’m all for gender equality, so feel free to waltz around starkers too>>_

_Sirius shook his head chuckling, all the while yanking off the other sleeve_

_< <Hussy>>_

_Her hands attacked his shirt, and rather adeptly saw to each button_

_< <See? I do it with my hands>>_

_< <I hope that applies to other things as well…>>_

_< <Shame on you! You are positively outrageous!>>_

_Shrugging off the garment, he slipped off shoes and socks, before fishing out one of her feet from under the ample folds of her skirts; he trailed his hand up her leg, up and up until he reached her waist; his eyebrows shot up, as if something was missing_

_< <You thought I was wearing stay-up stockings?>>_

_< <Hoping more like it>>_

_She rolled her eyes_

_< <Well, warn me the next time you plan on joining me in h- ah!>>_

_His hands had inched up her thigh again, brushing the inner skin, gripping the hemline of the tights and energetically pulling them down; while he did so, he purposefully brushed his fingers against her flesh, making her shiver_

_< <Mh, I’ll admit… These things aren’t bad at all either>>_

_< <Uh uh…>> She conceded, slightly dazed. He got to work on his belt and rid himself of it, along with his trousers, rather quickly, chucking them somewhere in the room._

_In that moment, he noticed she was very stiff, and anxious. To soothe her, he cradled her in his arms and slowly peeled the fabric from her skin, pressing kisses to her shoulders and neck_

_< <Kay… We don’t have to do this>>_

_< <What did you call me?>> Her eyes were wide; he thought he had done something wrong_

_< <K-Kay>>_

_Unexpectedly, surprisingly, a huge smile spread on her face_

_< <I like it>>_

_He grinned too_

_< <Then I will call you Kay from now on>>_

_She tilted her head backwards and rested it on his shoulder, pressing her lips against his pulse, making him groan_

_< <Are you sure you want to do this, Kay? There’s no turning back once we’ve started, darling>>_

_She closed her eyes, breathing deeply_

_< <I’m sure, sweetheart. Just… Be gentle>>_

_At those words, he raised an eyebrow in concern_

_< <Are you entirely certain you want to do this with me? We can stop if you want, I won’t hold it against you or get mad, not that I’d have any right to->>_

_< <You blabber a lot when you’re nervous, don’t you?>>_

_< <You’re nervous; I’m just worried about you>>_

_She giggled, laid down on the mattress and tugged him down beside her, snuggling closer and pressing a hand to his chest, just above his heart_

_< <Sirius, I said that I love you. What will it take for you to come to terms with it? I trust you>>_

_< <Why? I’ve treated you like shit since our parents told us of the betrothal. How can you trust me?>>_

_< <Because you’re a good man. We argued a lot, yes, but you never went beyond that, not even when you were really angry._

_I know how you are with your friends, and there’s nothing not to love about that person; the person that you are._

_Why shouldn’t I trust you? >>_

_He gaped at her, blinking_

_< <I don’t know what to say…>>_

_< <I may not know a lot about this kind of situations, but I believe there isn’t much talking involved>>_

_< <Come here…>>_

_He kissed her again, with abandon, and his fingers tangled in her hair. Panting as he pulled away, he asked in a hoarse murmur, pointing at her ridiculously elaborated up-do_

_< <May I?>>_

_< <Yeah, sure>>_

_With a patience he didn’t know he possessed, he worked every single bobby pin out of her mane, freeing the twisted strands from their impossibly tight confines: they fell down her back, silky and shiny in the pale light of his wand that lay forgotten on the bedside table. It was amazing. She looked like a siren._

_Unable to resist, he sunk his hand in the dark tresses and combed his fingers through, slowly, to revel in their softness, when she let out a loud groan_

_< <You… You like this?>>_

_< <I love it when people pet my hair like that>>_

_He did it again, just to see her reaction, and got what he wanted_

_< <Well, it’d better be just me who gets to touch your hair from now on>>_

_< <As long as you do it again…>>_

_She trailed off with a moan as he sunk the other hand in her maze too; it was too much for her, and she pulled him in for a kiss._

_His hands wandered, enjoying their discoveries as he wrestled her dress off. Finally, once it lay on the floor by the bed, he pulled away to look at her, all of her, prying her hands off when she tried to shield herself from his gaze_

_< <Don’t do that, sweetheart; you look absolutely breathtaking, even better than I imagined>>_

_< <You though about this? About me?>>_

_< <I tend to… Drift off, sometimes. That dress does you no justice, by the way; I had no idea you were so… Voluptuous beneath it>>_

_He let his hands explore the unknown territory, sliding over her thighs, waist, and then stopping when they met her bra strap_

_< <My mother would kill me if she knew I wasn’t wearing a corset>>_

_He groaned_

_< <Sorry, I shouldn’t talk about her right now->>_

_< <Oh, don’t worry. It’s just… The thought of you in a corset does things to me>>_

_She smirked; next thing he knew, he was on his back while she hovered over him_

_< <The things she makes me wear resemble straightjackets, actually, but I know where to find frilly, lacy skimpy things you might enjoy…>>_

_He growled, grabbing a handful of her bum_

_< <Oh, you like that idea?>>_

_As an answer, he pressed her hips against his, and she hummed_

_< <Mh… It seems so…>>_

_He tilted his head back, grunting_

_< <Don’t make those noises, love…>>_

_With a devious smirk playing on her lips, Kiyrah leaned down and nibbled the skin of his neck right where his Adam’s apple was_

_< <I’ll be making them soon anyway…>>_

_A loud growl was all notice she received before he flipped them over and unclasped her bra, nipping at the newly exposed skin, all the while yanking down her underwear._

_He pulled away for a moment to take off his own, before joining her for what looked like the best night of their married life as of yet_

* * *

_The next morning, Sirius woke up first, to find Kiyrah snuggled against him: her head lay on his chest, and she was hugging him, in her sleep. It was the most adorable thing he had ever seen._

_The previous night had been wonderful; not only because they had made love, finally, after about three months of marriage, but because he had seen her true self, who she really was under those cumbersome gowns and absurd hairdos. Literally speaking, how had he not seen how beautiful she was in reality? Had he even looked at her twice?_

_Well, he had most certainly taken a good look the night before; and he wouldn’t ever forget it. Ever._

_She had made him feel alive again: someone cared for him, about him; someone trusted him, needed him; someone loved him._

_And that someone, that amazing someone, was right there next to him, still sleeping soundly, a small smile on her face._

_She was absolutely adorable_

_< <I love you, Kay>>_

_Her eyes fluttered open, and she kissed him on the lips_

_< <I love you too, moron>>_

_He chuckled softly, brushing her hair out of her face_

_< <I haven’t hurt you, have I?>>_

_Her smile shone bright, and she shook her head, pecking the tip of his nose_

_< <Not at all. Actually, I was worried about you, what with your nose and your split lip>>_

_He sighed contentedly, hugging her close and nuzzling the top of her head_

_< <I don’t understand how you can be so considerate after I’ve treated you so shittily>>_

_With a shrug, she answered_

_< <I love you. And my feelings are strong enough to withstand any amount of foul insults from you, especially if I remember I made you like that>>_

_He stretched leisurely_

_< <My parents have unwillingly granted me the best present life could ever give me>>_

_< <Hey, they gave you life, as much as they ruined it afterwards>>_

_Sirius shrugged_

_< <But you make it bearable; my friends make it bearable>>_

_She was genuinely touched by his words, but decided to tease him nonetheless_

_< <Oh, I make it bearable? I thought if I put poison in your tea you’d drink it, since you find me so annoying; all I do is scream and shout>>_

_The sly grin on his face made her stomach flutter, and she blushed when he rolled her on top of him; in return, he neared his mouth to her ear and whispered_

_< <I recall you shouting pretty loud last night, but that didn’t annoy me in the least>>_

_She shivered when he scraped his teeth along her neck_

_< <Please tell me you used a silencing charm...>>_

_< <Yes. And you know what? It’s still active, so if you wanna give it another go...>>_

_She sat up and grabbed his hands, while he observed her with a dumbstruck look on his face. She got cocky_

_< <Like what you see, darling?>>_

_He gulped and ground out_

_< <You know I do>>_

_< <Do I? Let me see...>>_

_She shifted, and he groaned loudly, making her snicker evilly_

_< <Oh yes, now I do. But guess what?>>_

_< <What?>> He panted_

_< <I like what I see, too. Let me show you just how much...>>_

_It all went downhill from there_

* * *

<<Everything ok?>>

<<I’m confused!>>

<<Obviously so>>

<<Moony, you don’t understand: every single one of these memories displays Kiyrah and I inevitably getting closer, although I assume she periodically wiped my memory. Does she actually hate me in reality? Is that why she wants me to forget about her? Am I really that bad?>>

His friend shook his head, handing him a bottle with a sticker that read “R.A.B”

<<It’s time>>

<<I don’t know if I want to see this>>

<<Come on, I will watch it with you>>


	9. Brothers Under The Sun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We are like birds of a feather  
> We are two hearts joined together  
> We will be forever as one  
> My brother under the sun
> 
> (Bryan Adams)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: this chapter contains graphic depictions of violence and torture

_An eleven-year-old Kiyrah sat in an armchair in the living room of Grimmauld Place; she was calmly reading a book, when someone descended the stairs and peeked in from the doorway._

_The sight of her guest made him smile: Regulus_

_< <Hi, Reginald>>_

_The boy glared at her, pouting_

_< <Don’t call me that>>_

_Kiyrah chuckled_

_< <But I like it, Reginald>>_

_He rolled his eyes but walked up to her, curiously looking at the tome on her lap_

_< <This is your last summer before school, and you’re spending it reading?>>_

_The girl laughed, shaking her head_

_< <You sounded exactly like Sirius>>_

_Her words made the boy smirk, and he started poking fun at her_

_< <Oh, really? Are you going to swoon over me and blush furiously like you do when he’s around?>>_

_She shoved him, her cheeks red_

_< <Stop it>>_

_He held a hand to his forehead and one to his heart, mocking her still_

_< <Oh, Sirius, my knight in shining armour! Come save me, and I shall grant you true love’s kiss!>>_

_Kiyrah just flushed even more and swatted him on the arm_

_< <I don’t speak like that!>>_

_With an impish grin, Regulus cackled_

_< <You certainly do look at him as though he hung the stars in the sky>>_

_< <You know, you two have a lot more in common than you think, Reginald>>_

_< <Stop calling me that!>>_

_< <Are you going to stop making fun of me because I love your brother?>>_

_He thought about it, then shook his head_

_< <Well then, get ready for an awful lot of “Reginald”s>>_

_Regulus groaned and tried to change the subject_

_< <What are you reading?>>_

_< <The tales of Beedle the Bard>>_

_He blinked_

_< <You never heard of them?>>_

_< <Mother and father...>>_

_Kiyrah tutted, shaking her head_

_< <Of course, I should have known they wouldn’t approve this book; my parents don’t, either, so I bought it on the sly>>_

_The boy snickered, looking up at her_

_< <Can I... Can you read it to me?>>_

_The smile on her face was incredibly bright, and she put the book on the armrest to lift him up, sitting him next to her; he snuggled against her side and she pecked his forehead, opening the book once again_

_< <Kiyrah?>>_

_< <Yes?>>_

_< <Do you love Sirius more than me?>>_

_The girl giggled_

_< <Of course not, my darling; I just love you in very different ways. You’re like a brother to me>>_

_< <Then... Can I call you sister?>>_

_Kiyrah beamed_

_< <I would be honoured, brother>>_

_She proceeded to read the tales out loud, draping an arm across the boy’s shoulders. When he voiced his concern over his parents finding them like that, she smirked_

_< <The gathering is still not finished, and I cast a silencing charm when I retired here. Don’t worry, no one will disturb us; not even your brother>>_

_< <Like you would be upset to see him>>_

_< <I wouldn’t, but I enjoy some peace and quiet every now and then; he is the perfect recipe for the opposite of that>>_

_< <You adore him anyway>>_

_< <Yes, I do>>_

_With a chuckle, Regulus told her something else_

_< <You know, Kiyrah, I have a feeling that you’ll actually become my sister in the future>>_

_She gasped, grinning like an idiot_

_< <That would be the best thing ever, Reginald>>_

_He rolled his eyes_

_< <Stupidhead>>_

_< <I love you too, Reg. I love you too>>_

* * *

Remus looked at Sirius, worried about how he would react, but his friend just stared blankly ahead of him, eyes wide, mouth agape

<<Sirius? Are you ok?>>

Silence was his answer

<<Pads? Padfoot? You’re making me worry>>

<<His sister>>

<<What?>>

<<She called herself his sister>>

<<Yeah, I noticed... How does that make you feel?>>

<<Weird. I married her>>

Remus chortled

<<Aw, c’mon Pads. You know that’s not what I mean>>

<<I’m... I’m happy, Moony; she has such a good heart that she decided to take care of my brother, besides me and you lot>>

Remus nodded, sighing

<<But who took care of her...>>

Sirius ran his hands in his hair, groaning

<<I should have; I failed her>>

<<No, Sirius. You have not failed her. As you said, you tried to get closer to her every time you could.

Nevertheless, Kiyrah kept pushing you away; you did what you could>>

<<I guess you’re right... What else do you have there?>>

While the shorter man analysed the possible choices, the taller one cleared his throat

<<There’s another one from your brother; shall we open it?>>

Sirius gulped, but nodded. While pouring the liquid out, Remus patted his back

<<It’s ok, Pads>>

<<You don’t know that>>

<<Kiyrah is a good woman, and you’ve seen how she adored your younger brother; trust me>>

<<Alright…>>

* * *

_Kiyrah silently slid in the Slytherin common room, relieved to find it almost empty: she was looking for someone. She knew she could get into trouble for sneaking in the wrong common room, but she needed to do this._

_Finally locating the unmistakable black head she had seen so many times, the girl tiptoed to his desk; it may have looked like he didn’t notice her, but she knew very well that he had_

_< <This isn’t the Ravenclaw common room, Kiyrah>> He muttered_

_< <Isn’t it?>> She played dumb, looking around with a hand to her lips_

_< <Oh, silly me! You’d think I should be able to distinguish a snake from a bird>>_

_< <You certainly do endeavour to avoid the snake at all costs>> The boy bit out, not lifting his gaze from the pages he was reading_

_< <Reg, what do you mean?>>_

_He scoffed bitterly, still not looking at her_

_< <You’ve come to visit the wrong Black, though I’m not sure Sirius even thinks of himself as one anymore... As you know, he probably is in the Great Hall with his Gryffindor friends>>_

_She flinched at the way he spat “Gryffindor”_

_< <Reg... I was looking for you>>_

_< <Why? So you could tell me how disappointed you are that I am in Slytherin? Sirius certainly didn’t care for my house choice. I’m surprised you didn’t join him, since you do everything together->>_

_< <NO!>>_

_That finally got his attention; when he finally glanced at her, he winced when he saw the tears in her eyes_

_< <How- How can you say that- Your brother->>_

_< <He is their brother now, Kiyrah>> He retorted, but the spitfire had died. She shook her head, wiping her eyes_

_< <No! He loves you! How can you not see that is beyond me->>_

_< <He despises me, like the rest of his family>>_

_< <No. He is hurt because he thought of you as his only friend, and he feels as though you’ve abandoned him>>_

_< <I abandoned him? Does he make time for his younger brother anymore? Does he care?>>_

_< <He does! Much more than you will ever know>>_

_He sighed, lowering his head_

_< <Sure; just like you. My sister, who forgot about me too>>_

_At the accusation, Kiyrah actually sobbed, and began to walk away_

_< <You need to realise that you having different beliefs doesn’t mean your brother doesn’t love you; he spends time with them because they’re his only true friends, and he’s tired of playing the part your parents are forcing him to. As for me... I have never forgotten the promise I made you. But it seems you have._

_Very well._

_If there is no place in your heart anymore for your brother and sister, then you may enjoy the company of the snakes you’ve chosen; and I’m not talking about the ones on the wall >>_

_She slammed the door, wiping the tears from her eyes, untucking strands of hair from her braid to fall in her face so she could hide her sorrow from indiscreet students._

_Before she could walk away, however, the door behind her opened and the boy appeared in it_

_< <I’m sorry>>_

_She didn’t move_

_< <I’m sorry I snapped at you like that; I didn’t mean to>>_

_Slowly, Kiyrah turned around; he grimaced when he saw her puffy eyes_

_< <I don’t want to lose you, too>>_

_< <You haven’t lost him. But you will, if you don’t start thinking with your own head>>_

_With a grunt, the younger student shook his head_

_< <I don’t want to talk about that, Kiyrah. You used to be the one I could come to to forget about it all>>_

_< <Have you ever thought of how many times your brother defended you? From your parents, someone else... Do you think he’d do that if he truly detested you as you say?>>_

_< <Stop>> He pleaded_

_< <I will not stop until you understand, Regulus!>>_

_The boy clenched his fists, looking away_

_< <I don’t want to lose either of you>>_

_Before he could comprehend what was happening, she had hugged him, and was softly stroking his head; when he realised it, he gripped the folds of her cloak, burrowing his face in her shoulders_

_< <You have not lost us, you twat. But you do need to reconsider some life choices, if you intend to keep us>>_

_< <Can we pretend everything is fine, for now? Like when I was a kid?>>_

_She laughed_

_< <Just for now, darling; just for now>>_

_They ran outside to play, finally smiling_

* * *

After an uncomfortable silence, Remus couldn’t take it anymore and started another conversation

<<You know, I kind of feel guilty, snooping around her stuff like this>>

<<Well, don’t: we must find out what she is hiding; I need to understand>>

<<Me too, Pads. What will it be? The black ones?>>

Sirius hesitated, gulping

<<Why are there so many of them?>>

<<They are clearly the ones she perused the most>>

<<The label fell off; you... You don’t think it could be me, do you?>>

<<Again, no. It seems ridiculous to even think, Sirius>>

<<I sure hope you’re right>> The black-haired marauder sighed, diluting the memory in the Pensieve

* * *

_Kiyrah rummaged through the bathroom cabinets, frantically turning them inside out; her mother in law’s words resounded in her ears, threatening and spiteful as when she’d heard them in person_

_< <Don’t worry, Kiyrah; I will make sure your future husband receives a proper punishment>>_

_She had actually shuddered when the older woman had said that; she just couldn’t help it. The thought of what that monster and her barbaric husband could do the the man she loved... It made her blood simmer_

_< <Like hell I’m going to let you hurt him, bitch. He doesn’t want to marry me because I made him believe I’m nasty and cruel, like you. He is fully justified, and I will protect him with all I’ve got>>_

_Finally, she found his hairbrush and pried it from the mess that were his personal belongings_

_< <For Godric’s sake, Sirius, love; this is the only time your untidiness makes my life easier, you idiot>>_

_She plucked a few hairs from the brush and scurried to her room, anxious to get to work; she took out a flask from a trunk under her bed and added his hair to the concoction, eyeing it with disgust_

_< <You’re doing this for Sirius; you’re doing this for Sirius>> She chanted and gulped down the brew in one go, grimacing_

_< <It tastes like feet>>_

_That was all she could say before she ran to the bathroom attached to her chamber, trying so hard to keep the thing in her stomach._

_When she re-emerged, she was no longer herself. In fact, when she stepped in front of her mirror, she burst into laughter_

_< <Oh Godric, this is hilarious!>>_

_Sirius was staring back at her, but he was wearing her dress_

_< <I look like something a Boggart might turn into after casting Riddikulus!>>_

* * *

Sirius and Remus lost it completely; they held onto each other, in hysterics, tears in their eyes, unable to stop laughing

<<She is right; you do look like a Boggart that’s been “Ridikulus”ed>>

<<That’s not me, that’s her>>

Humour started to dwindle, and Sirius wrung his hands, overcome with concern

<<I’m scared of why she’s doing this though...>>

* * *

_Kiyrah lay on her bed, holding her stomach, shaking with peal after peal of laughter._

_Ten minutes later, she stood up, digging in her wardrobe and producing a t-shirt, a pair of jeans, and sneakers that she’d nabbed from Sirius. She gathered the clothes in her arms and went back to the bathroom_

_< <Damn, I could look at this all day>>_

* * *

That made her (ex)husband smirk, causing Remus to shove him playfully. The grin only broadened when she came out of the bathroom, saw her reflection and commented

<<Merlin’s balls, I want to fuck myself>>

* * *

_The smile was wiped from her face when she put her wand down on the bedside table, hiding it behind the lamp_

_< <But I have no time...>>_

_She went to fish around in her cabinet, scrutinising the vials_

_< <Dittany, Wiggenweld potion, Blood-Replenishing Potion... Yes, I’m very well stocked. I just hope I will survive this...>>_

_Thus thinking, she headed downstairs, where she knew her parents in law would be_

* * *

Sirius emerged, wide-eyed and wrought with worry

<<She’s not doing what I think she’s doing, is she?>>

Remus couldn’t talk; the other marauder grabbed him by the jumper, yanking him closer; his face was more manic than it had been in his mugshots

<<She’s letting my parents torture her instead of me!>>

<<I- I- k-know...>>

<<How could she do that? Is she mad?>>

<<She’s in love, Padfoot; there’s not much difference>>

<<I need to see this. I->>

He just dove his head back, not waiting for his friend

* * *

_< <Welcome back, Sirius>>_

_His mother bit out, contempt lacing her words._

_Kiyrah forced herself to be brave, remembering what it was like with her own parents; schooling her features, she snarled_

_< <Greetings, mother>>_

_His father stepped up, grabbing him by the arm_

_< <We have something to discuss with you>>_

_< <I do not wish to discuss anything with you>>_

_A hard slap resounded in the room_

_< <You will, you ungrateful brat. Sit down>>_

_Without a word, Kiyrah took place in an armchair, trying to calm down her hammering heart_

_< <As you know, we’ve selected the young Blackmour as your wife; her parents have given their consent>>_

_< <I haven’t>> She muttered, scoffing_

_< <About that -intervened his mother- After your outburst, we had to work so hard to make sure her parents would not withdraw their consent and marry her off to the Malfoy boy>>_

_She gritted her teeth in disgust; just the thought of that blond git made her want to puke_

_< <I would rather die than marry that spoiled brat>> She ground out. It worked out perfectly, because she was actually talking about Malfoy, but the two sadists took it to mean he was refusing her again_

_< <Very well, son>>_

_His father clapped a hand on her shoulder, tightening his grip until Kiyrah was sure her bones would break; still, she resisted_

_< <I think we may be able to grant your wish>>_

_The man grabbed her by the hair and flung her to the floor, kicking her in the stomach; then, they both took out their wands, and Kiyrah actually feared for her life_


	10. All for You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You know that you're my reason  
> In everything I do  
> It's all for you  
> You know that you're my reason in life  
> It's all for you
> 
> (In This Moment)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: this chapter contains graphic depictions of violence and torture

Neither of the two men knew what to say; they were too horrified.

The sight of Kiyrah on the floor, at the mercy of their wands, writhing with pain and covered with blood made them sick to the stomach

<<They were barbarians; inhuman assassins. If Kiyrah hadn’t removed my mother’s portrait from the wall, I would go hex it right now>>

<<Sirius, as much as I agree with you, we have to focus on your wife right now; we can certainly agree she is crazy about you and would give her life for you in a heartbeat>>

<<What did I do to deserve her, I have no idea... But I sure as hell am thankful I did it>>

<<As you should be, Padfoot; I heard she almost burned down the Ministry when they didn’t try you>>

The smile on Sirius’s face was full of admiration and gratitude, as he thought about Kiyrah blowing a fuse in the Ministry

<<Is that memory somewhere in her room? I would like to see it>>

Remus shrugged

<<I have no idea, but we can keep looking at the black ones if you want to>>

He cringed

<<I think we should... As you said, the answer to her weird behaviour is probably to be found somewhere in one of those, much to my chagrin, and yours... Though I hope there are no more memories of her being abused by my parents>>

Remus squeezed his eyes shut

<<I so want to un-see that. But, at the same time, it gives you an idea of the length she would go to for those she loves>>

<<I don’t want her to do that! I want her to stay by my side, where I can keep her safe!>>

With a pat on his friend’s back, the werewolf tried to improve the situation

<<Tell you what: we’ll watch a few more dark visions, and then we’ll switch to some red ones; or those with Death Eater names>>

Sirius barked a laugh, shaking his head

<<I bet those are scenes of her kicking their asses in battle...>>

<<Or pranking then in school>> Suggested Remus <<Don’t forget, she’s quite frisky, you know>>

At those words, the black-haired fiend smirked

<<Oh yes, I do...>>

Remus face-palmed, incredulous

<<You randy asshat>>

<<Let’s see if there’s more to this memory, Moony>>

* * *

_Kiyrah groaned and forced her eyes open; she could feel her whole frame throbbing with agony: her sore muscles, her aching bones, her pulsing head, her searing wounds. She tried to sit up, but yelped in pain and slumped back on the pillow._

_A pillow? Where the hell was she?_

_With a cursory inspection, she took stock of her state: her arms were covered with bruises and cuts; so were her legs, stomach and most probably back, she mused, basing her deduction on the tenderness of her shoulders. Suddenly, she noticed something relevant: those were her own limbs; her own body parts; she had transformed back to her person._

_She attempted to reach out and touch her face, but just trying to move caused her strain, and she wailed again_

_< <Don’t exert yourself; you’re lucky to be alive>>_

_She couldn’t help but jump, and regretted it immediately when her whole being protested, twinging and burning._

_Sirius was sitting on a chair beside the bed; his bed. She was in his room. Had he taken her there?_

_< <How... How long have I been out?>>_

_He glanced at the clock_

_< <Almost six hours>>_

_Kiyrah grumbled_

_< <Last time it was four...>>_

_< <Last time?>> He exclaimed, completely put out <<You mean this is not the first time you’re in such a state?!>>_

_< <N- No...>>_

_He grabbed a rag, wetted it with cool water and dabbed it on a gash that crossed her abdomen, which was still bleeding; only then did Kiyrah realise she was basically naked, only donning her underwear. She blushed furiously._

_Sirius cackled, twisting the cloth over a bowl of water: red dripped from it_

_< <I had to take your clothes off, Princess; it was the only way to patch the wounds>>_

_< <B-But... In case of haemorrhage, it is better to leave it on>>_

_He smiled at her; an actual smile, not those contemptuous, sardonic grimaces he gave her in public_

_< <You sure know a lot about this stuff, don’t you? Anyway, I forced you to drink some healing potion, before doing anything else >>_

_She gaped at him, bewitched. He chortled, teasing her_

_< <Honestly, I know I’m hot, but it’s impolite to stare, you know>>_

_Kiyrah flushed even more, but managed to get a poke in at him_

_< <You got your eyeful while I was out, haven’t you?>>_

_She had struck home: his cheeks became scarlet, and he stood up to walk to his desk, where a bottle of water sat; while he poured some in a glass and handed it to her, he tried to counter her accusation_

_< <I was trying to help you!>>_

_She smiled sweetly, reaching out to take the cup from him_

_< <I know; thank you>>_

_Her arms didn’t work, though: they seemed to be made of jello. He held the glass to her lips, and she drank avidly_

_< <Slow down, missy; you’re going to choke if you guzzle it down so fast>>_

_He put the glass on the bedside table and looked at her seriously_

_< <What on Earth happened to you?>>_

_Her breath hitched, and she panicked. She had to lie._

_What could she say?_

_Come on, Ravenclaw, don’t fail me now..._

_< <My... My p-parents c-came to visit... They saw me in t-those clothes a-and... Mother didn’t approve; we had a fight. You can imagine the rest>>_

_Mh, that was very convincing. He bought it_

_< <You look like you’ve been mauled by a bear... And it was all just because you were walking around in a t-shirt and slacks?>>_

_< <T-they said it is un-unbecoming f-for someone of my s-status>>_

_He nodded, thoughtful_

_< <By the way, did you happen to own some clothes that were exactly like mine?>> His voice held a playful note; she smirked, and teased back_

_< <Well, stealing is one way of taking possession of something, right?>>_

_Sirius threw his head back and cachinnated, slapping a hand on his thigh_

_< <You’re quite the fiend, Kiyrah. Although...>>_

_He trailed off, good mood momentarily forgotten. Kiyrah understood immediately, and spoke before he could_

_< <You thought I agreed with them; worse, that I was just like them. Am I wrong?>>_

_He shook his head, quite amazed at how quickly she’d sussed him out_

_< <No, you’re not. Was I wrong?>>_

_She fell silent for a moment, then replied_

_< <Yes, but I let you believe that>>_

_< <Why?>>_

_< <You have enough problems already. I didn’t want you to worry about me...>>_

_Sirius gaped, unable to wrap his head around what she’d just said; scooting closer with his chair, he took her hand, careful not to hurt her_

_< <You don’t want me to care for you... You would have me hate you... Just so I wouldn’t face any danger trying to protect you?>>_

_She nodded weakly, hurrying to add more, afraid that he might be angry_

_< <I’m- Im sorry if I hurt you, I’m v-very s-sorry, bu-but the last thing I w-wanted was my parents going after y-you... I thought it would be better to let you despise me than seeing you face their w-wrath...>>_

_< <That’s bloody fucked up! Are you insane, woman? You face this -he gestured to her injuries- on a daily basis and refuse to let me in your life so that I will be left alone?>>_

_Kiyrah’s eyes grew teary, but she couldn’t turn away_

_< <I’m sorry... But I couldn’t bear it if something happened to you; especially if it were because of me>>_

_He opened and closed his mouth, not knowing what to say, or think. It was a miracle she was still alive, and she insisted on fighting against those psychos alone._

_Actually, he had no idea her parents were violent like his; sure, they were made from the same mould as his, but he assumed they had nothing to complain about, having the perfect daughter... Instead, she was different, like him._

_And she’d put her life on the line, more than once, fighting for what she believed in; sometimes, probably, even for him_

_< <You can’t die for me, Kiyrah. Besides, why would you do that? We hate each other>>_

_She smiled softly, slightly squeezing his hand_

_< <Then why did you help me? Why did you bring me in your room, and tend to my wounds?>>_

_< <Because I knew you when we were kids... Before you became a spoiled brat like the rest of them._

_And now, I find out you’re not actually like that... >>_

_< <You remember me? You remember us being together as children?>>_

_< <We’ve been together as adults, too...>> He trailed off, certain she understood; and she did._

_Her cheeks turned cherry red_

_< <Ah, yes, the night of the gathering>>_

_< <Exactly>>_

_A few moments of silence passed, until he plucked up enough courage to ask her_

_< <Did you... Did you really love me? Do you still love me?>>_

_His voice broke on the last words._

_In that moment, Kiyrah felt like her heart could burst._

_She was an idiot, a bloody idiot. How could she even think that she could bear to live her whole existence apart from him? Just the sight of him made her want to hug him, kiss him, bring down the moon from the sky if that would make him happy._

_How... How could she go on like that? Would mere memories suffice to get her through the day?_

_Not even a little bit._

_She wanted happiness; at least a little, a tiny bit, to see her through the terrifying horrors that waited for her; she wanted him_

_< <Look at me>>_

_He did, his eyes searching for hers, taken aback at the intensity of what they saw there_

_< <I did, and I do; that’s why I wanted you to stay away._

_I can’t make you happy, Sirius: I have too many fucking problems. You’ve endured so much shit in your life, and you don’t deserve to bear my sorrow, too >>_

_< <But you deserve to bear mine?>>_

_< <I don’t want you to do it alone>>_

_< <Merlin, woman, do you know what alone means? I am alone! My life would be so much better if you were there by my side to support me, not siding with my parents, adding insult to injury!>>_

_Then, he heard a sob._

_Fuck._

_She was crying, incapable of stopping the tears; after what she’d just endured, it was expected for her to be frazzled, and unable to control her emotions. But he didn’t want to see her cry..._

_< <I know- But I- I->>_

_He kissed her._

_Gently, still aware of her battered body, but he kissed her. She was petrified, completely petrified._

_When he pulled away, he delicately skimmed the tip of his index finger over a purplish bruise that adorned her cheek_

_< <I did not lie when I said I love you; I do love the real Kiyrah. You are the real Kiyrah._

_There are no words for me to express how much I admire your self-sacrificing attitude, but it needs to stop. I don’t want to lose you, and having you by my side will make my life more bearable._

_I will marry you, but only if you promise me you’ll be the real Kiyrah >>_

_She nodded, tears trickling down her cheeks. He wiped them and kissed her forehead, walking around the bed to lie down next to her_

_< <I love you, darling; sleep now, you need to rest>>_

_She smiled shyly and forced herself to sit up and kiss him; he helped her lie back down, pecked her lips again and then drifted off._

_When she was certain he was soundly asleep, she brushed some strands of hair out of his face, pure adoration in her eyes_

_< <The real Kiyrah is the one who’d give her life for you, my love... We can enjoy a few days of joy, but only until we’re wedded..._

_I’m not sure I can stand another beating from your parents right now, so you’ll have to be compliant until I’m your wife; then the deed will be sealed. I’m sure you’ll find something else to fight over with those monsters that generated you; I just hope I’ll have healed enough by then... >>_

_Morpheus lured her in his arms, and she fell asleep; she held his hand, and no nightmares plagued her rest_

* * *

<<That woman is entirely bonkers>>

<<That she is>>

<<How many times did she resort to Polyjuice potion to save my reckless ass?>>

<<I think at least two times more; she couldn’t do it during the pregnancy>>

<<Thank Godric she found out in time! Those three pests saved her life as much as she saved mine: they gave her some sense of self-preservation>>

<<So much for the talking-to she gave to Marlene that day, uh?>>

<<My own daughter... She must have been heartbroken when we fought>>

<<She was, but you and Marlene are too similar. You both have very strong personalities: it was bound to happen>>

<<I love that girl, and her brothers>>

Remus smiled: he had not seen Sirius so happy since Harry had been born

<<They adore you too, Pads, it’s plainly visible. Now, I suggest we stop watching dark memories; this one has been trying enough>>

<<Wait! I want to see that one>>

The shorter wizard interjected, pointing at a bottle that was slightly different from the others: it was older, it had a different shape, and had clearly been dropped at least once, because the glass was chipped in quite a few points

<<Don’t ask me why, but this one seems to be the most heinous of all>>

<<And you want to watch it? The one we just saw was exhaustive enough, wasn’t it?>>

<<There’s still something missing, Moony: we hate each other, then something happens and we get closer again; she wipes me and we’re back to square one. That’s how it unfurled for a while.

But there must have been something, something big, that convinced her not to let her walls down anymore>>

<<Why do you say that?>>

<<Because, after we made love in the kitchen, she fled, saying it was wrong; she didn’t even try to talk to me, and ran away on a mission as soon as she could.

She still wants me to hate her.

She still wants to keep her distance.

I need to know why; I believe this memory will tell us what it was>>

Remus was awestruck

<<I was always the insightful one of the group, yet I had no idea>>

<<Well, you’re not as involved in this ordeal as I am, I hope>>

They shared a laugh, and refilled the old bottle while opening the gloomy flask Sirius had selected

<<Do not pull me out, no matter how traumatising it is; I need to get to the bottom of this>>

The werewolf snorted

<<Really? You’re making puns now?>>

<<It would be highly unlike me if I didn’t>>

<<Of course, I should have known>>

<<Yes, you should have>>

He emptied the flask in the container; even from outside it looked uninviting and sorrowful

<<Do not pull me out; I’m serious, Moony>>

The other guy tried to lighten the mood, and he did, though just a little

<<I know, Padfoot>>

<<Really? You’re making jokes now?>>

<<It would be highly like me if I didn’t; but I couldn’t resist>>

<<Of course you couldn’t>>

Taking a deep breath to steady their nerves, they plunged into the grey abyss, praying with all their heart that what they were about to see wouldn’t be too scarring

* * *

_A loud thud resounded through the room as a human body was slammed against the wall with a spell; its caster, a scrawny, middle-aged woman with long, whitish tresses and pale green irises, grinned evilly at the scene. By her side, a lanky man with blond hair and azure eyes observed the victim lying on the floor, almost lifeless; she was bleeding quite a lot, but she stood up, staggering and wobbling, gritting her teeth in pain._

_The man regarded her with contempt, evidently unaffected by her state_

_< <Anything more to say, Estelle?>>_

_< <My name is Kiyrah, asshole>>_

_He muttered something and flicked his wand; the young girl, about fifteen years of age, screamed in agony, but remained on her feet_

_< <You are to obey me, you ungrateful brat; I am your father>>_

_< <A monster, is what you are!>>_

_The woman joined the other torturer, and delivered a painful slap to the girl’s face; still, she didn’t bow_

_< <You disrespectful child! How dare you offend the Dark Lord, and speak of his ideals in such a disdainful fashion! No daughter of mine will ever be allowed to leave unscathed after behaving so horribly!>>_

_< <Then I’m not your daughter anymore! I will never join him, nor bear his mark like you do! Never!>>_

_Her father forcibly tilted her head upward grabbing her by the hair and pulling_

_< <You will be our pawn in our alliance with the Black family>>_

_The girl breathed heavily, clawing at his hand, to no avail; he smashed her head against the wall behind her_

_< <I will not help you with your psychotic plan! I‘d rather kill myself!>>_

_Seeing her mother’s smirk, the young woman shivered_

_< <Oh, we will let you live. However, if you ever do anything to come against us...>>_

_She trailed off, letting her husband finish_

_< <We will eliminate Sirius Black>>_

_At those words, Kiyrah paled visibly, and her eyes widened; fear was written all over her face_

_< <You cannot do that; you need him to marry me, and his social status is too high for you to get away with it>>_

_The white-haired woman laughed madly, sinking her long nails in her daughter’s skin, making her bleed; Kiyrah didn’t even flinch. She needed to win that match_

_< <We can always make you marry Regulus; he has his parents’ favour, unlike his elder brother>>_

_Kiyrah was absolutely terrified; the thought of her degenerate parents killing Sirius made her blood run cold_

_< <Furthermore, if we hear you’ve been spending time with those Gryffindor Mudbloods and blood traitors, we will personally get rid of them>>_

_If she was not petrified before, now the young woman certainly resembled a statue more than a human being, especially since blood had completely drained from her face_

_< <We could make it look like an accident, where that pathetic werewolf mauled his mates to death>>_

_Suddenly enraged beyond comprehension, Kiyrah pounced on her father, managing to punch him in the face, all the while shouting at the top of her lungs_

_< <He would never lay a finger on them! Leave him alone!>>_

_Unfortunately, the fight was uneven, and her mother instantly blocked her attack with a spell. At that moment, like so many times before, Kiyrah saw her entire life flash before her eyes, and there were so many horrors and sorrows she actually found herself looking forward to her punishment, hoping it would put an end to her suffering._

_But the worst kind of torture, as her parents and many maniacs like them knew very well, is the one where pain is inflicted slowly, and then the victim is allowed to heal just so he or she can go through it again. In fact, her father produced a small silver dagger, and sunk it in her arm, lazily dragging it downward, slicing the flesh, causing blood to pour from the gash; meanwhile, she could only cry, because she was still under the effect of the hex, and even though she tried so hard not to let the tears fall, when the madman twisted the blade she let out a strangled shriek, helplessly observing red dripping from the laceration in oodles of rivulets_

_< <You are not to see them anymore, Estelle; am I making myself clear?>>_

_Finally her mother released her, and she tumbled to the floor, unable to stand any longer_

_< <We will destroy everything you love, Estelle; and you will watch us doing it>>_

_They disappeared, leaving their daughter on the floor, bleeding to death._

_Rather than try to reach her room, where she kept potions and healing ointments, the girl cried, silently; the amount of sadness and heartache she felt were loud enough, and she had no strength to raise her voice, not anymore._

_Her mind went to her friends, the very few people she had learned to care for in her young life: James, Lily, Remus, Regulus... Sirius._

_The mere thought of losing them gave her the necessary push to crawl back to her room, slithering on the ground using just one arm, finally getting to dig around her cabinet, where she kept her remedies._

_After quite some good gulps of wiggenweld and blood-replenishing potion, Kiyrah actually felt better, and proceeded to bandage her wounds; while doing so, she fished out a photo album from the bookshelf next to her, and began leisurely flipping the pages, a wistful smile on her lips_

_Her and Lily scaring James by jumping out from behind the corner_

_The lot of them “studying” in the library; what they were actually doing was a paper plane war, while trying to escape Madam Pince’s wrath_

_Kiyrah herself reading a book to Regulus on his house’s living room couch, as he leaned against her shoulder; it had become almost a ritual for them_

_Sirius snoozing with his head on her stomach, as she played with his hair and smiled at him; his arms were wrapped around her waist, and she was grinning like an idiot, ignoring James’s pointing and laughing_

_Those were some of her most precious memories, and she cherished them in her heart. Skimming a finger over the pages, she cried some more_

_< <You’re not safe with me... I have to leave. For real this time>>_

_She stashed the album back in its place, and looked at the flask of blood-replenishing potion she had drained; holding it up, an idea came to her mind_

_< <I need to hide my memories from those barbarians; I think hiding them in vials might be good... I will be able to relive them again._

_Today will be the first one... >>_

_Thus speaking, she pressed the tip of her wand against her forehead, dragging out a luminescent bluish fluid that she precipitated in the container_

_< <To remind me why I have to disappear from their lives forever>>_

_The bottle shone ominously, and her shoulders slumped; her destiny was sealed, and she would be unhappy until the end._

_With a last longing look at the photo album, she went to lie in bed, suddenly aware of how worn out she really was_

_< <You will always be in my heart, all of you; you are my real family>>_

_Her tears lulled her to sleep. No pleasant dreams, no dreary nightmares; her mind was void, blank, like her life without her friends, and the man she loved_

* * *

Remus was completely horrified, disgusted; the anger he felt was almost unprecedented and unparalleled. He had witnessed many ghastly occurrences, like his best friends’ demise, the revelation of Peter’s betrayal, the dreadful challenges his remaining best friend had endured; witnessing Kiyrah suffering so much...

His heart ached.

Her parents were abominable.

Sirius had been as furious as he was in few occasions during his existence: when he’d set eyes upon Wormtail after James and Lily’s death, both fifteen and two years earlier; when his parents had threatened his friends, and when he fought with them, over everything.

He had always had an inkling that Cassiopeia and Alister Blackmour and Walburga and Orion Black were four peas in a pod, but he’d never fully grasped just how much.

He saw his own struggles in the fight she put up, and his own agony in the pain they inflicted upon her so lightly, as though it was anyone and not their own daughter. They wanted to use her as a pawn, a sacrificial lamb to gain favour with his parents; she had been tossed back and forth between two abusive, insane families, if they could be addressed as such.

No, they couldn’t.

James, Lily, Remus, Regulus -he had to give his brother some credit- were her real family.

He was her family.

Evan, James, Marlene were her family.

The Order was her family.

She had sacrificed everything for them: her happiness, her health, even her life -almost losing it more than once... It was about time they did something for her

<<Let’s watch some red memories, shall we? Otherwise, I might actually commit the crime I’ve been sentenced to jail for>> Sirius declared: Remus nodded

<<I’d like to see what those with Slytherin names are about...>>

<<First a red one, Moony>>

<<But I cannot watch those!>>

The shorter wizard shrugged, chuckling

<<I’d say they’re short, but if it’s about me having sex->>

<<Then they’re very short>>

While the taller man laughed, Sirius chucked a booklet at him

<<Go fetch some more of those Death Eater memories, idiot>>

Finally, he randomly selected a bottle and poured it in, after putting back the nightmarish recollection and leaving it somewhere he wouldn’t see it

<<Let’s see what we have here...>>

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so the secret is revealed... Kiyrah is trying to protect her true family from her biological family.  
> Still, the memory parade is not over!
> 
> I hope you are enjoying the story. Let me know what you think 😊


	11. Angel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I want your love - let's break the walls between us  
> Don't make it tough - I'll put away my pride  
> Enough's enough, I've suffered and I've seen the light  
> Baby
> 
> You're my angel  
> Come and save me tonight  
> You're my angel  
> Come and make it all right
> 
> (Aerosmith)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: mentions of smut, but nothing graphic (just hints, though the two lovebirds tend to get a little frisky...)

_Kiyrah was calmly walking down the corridor to the Ravenclaw common room when someone ran smack-dab into her, knocking her on her arse; she groaned and rubbed her forehead where it had banged against her attacker’s, noticing a tenderness already beginning to form_

_< <What the…>>_

_Her words died in her mouth when she saw that her assailant was no one but her childhood friend, and top-class troublemaker, Sirius Black; she quickly deduced he was escaping from someone, probably Filch, to avoid getting detention for his most recent prank._

_The boy, all offifteen years, seemed incredibly relieved to see her, and smiled sheepishly_

_< <Kay! Do me a favour, hide me!>>_

_She cocked an eyebrow, observing him as he prodded his head searching for the soon-to-appear bump, courtesy of their impact; with a sigh, she stood up, offering him a hand to help him up_

_< <What are you up to now, Pads?>>_

_He shook his head impatiently, hard-pressed_

_< <I’ll tell you all about it later, love. Right now, I need to hide, before that old curmudgeon gets his hands on me>>_

_Kiyrah scoffed_

_< <Don’t go around pulling tricks on people without thinking them through>>_

_< <Kiyrah!>>_

_< <Come back here, whoever you are! I will get you!>> Came the caretaker’s irate voice as he approached the two of them. Quickly, the girl dug out some books from her bag to hold them in her arm: the pile was so tall she could barely see over it_

_< <No one’s watching, you can change>>_

_< <What?>>_

_< <Change, now, for Godric’s sake!>> She whisper-yelled, and he obeyed._

_With nonchalance, Kiyrah began to walk in the direction from which Filch was running, while Sirius trailed closely behind her. In the end, the outcome was much like the previous one: she bumped into the caretaker, and her papers went flying, while she ended up with her rump on the floor, much like Filch himself, who grumbled as he glared at her_

_< <You! It was you!>>_

_Kiyrah stared at him as if he’d grown a third eye, her best innocent look on her face, sheets and other stuff randomly piled on her_

_< <Me? I was on my way to my common room!>>_

_< <The culprit was running in this direction, and I found you here>>_

_She rolled her eyes, shuffling out of the mess of scrolls_

_< <Reflect, Mr Filch: if I had been rushing away, how could I have had the time to go get these book? The library is on the other side of the castle._

_Also, why would I come back to the crime scene? With books, moreover? It doesn’t make any sense at all >>_

_The attender did not appear to be pleased with her smart-aleck attitude, but she simply shrugged_

_< <There’s a reason I was sorted into Ravenclaw>>_

_Both of them stood up._

_Only then did Mr Filch notice the huge black dog beside her, mainly because Mrs Norris was hissing at it_

_< <What is that?!>>_

_Again, Kiyrah proved to possess quite some sang-froid: she simply looked at Sirius, a bright smile on her face, and dropped her belongings again to scratch his neck. Sirius, for his part, wagged his tail happily, even licking her hand_

_< <This? This is one of the dogs Hagrid takes care of; I took him in for a project to better my Care Of Magical Creatures grade>>_

_That was a great lie; Remus would have had trouble topping that. Filch eyed the student pointedly, inquisitively, trying to intimidate her perhaps_

_< <I will ask Professor Kettelburn about this>>_

_She nodded, picking up her stuffthat was littered on the floor; Sirius helped her as he could, anxious to get away from the caretaker’s evil glare_

_< <Oh, yes, please do. Also, I just saw Professor McGonagall walking to the Headmaster’s office, if you want to talk to them too; feel free to further pick on a diligent student who’s just doing her work, though>>_

_Before walking away, she leant down to pet Mrs Norris. Sirius expected the hellcat to maim the girl’s hand, but was in for a surprise: the feline actually let Kiyrah touch her, and even snuggled against her fingers!_

_Damn, the girl was good. Maybe they should include her in their mischief-making? She was surely smart enough, and had enough gall to face even the unpleasant Hogwarts caretaker._

_Not bad._

_He already admired her, but that stunt she’d just pulled off had earned her a nomination for the title of marauder._

_They trotted away, and his tail moved back and forth excitedly._

_With the tail of their eye, they noticed Filch looking at her with something akin to surprise, probably because his faithful Mrs Norris did not take a shine to anyone, normally, just like him; he left, followed by the cat, probably to approach the two professors and rat on her to them, though something told them she’d made a good impression._

_In smiling silence, they reached a secluded corner of the castle, and he changed back to his human form_

_< <Aw, Siri, couldn’t you stay Padfoot some more? I like him better than you>>_

_He ignored the barb, grabbed her by the shoulders, shaking her_

_< <You were wonderful! I swear I saw Filch gape when you petted his harbinger!>>_

_She giggled, softly pinching his cheek_

_< <I know, sweetie>>_

_He barked out a laugh, shaking his head amusedly_

_< <You’ve got a cheek, Kay>>_

_She tutted, booping him on the nose with a fake frown_

_< <You shouldn’t check out my bum, Sirius Black>>_

_He chuckled some more, unable to restrain himself, but he immediately decided to play along; his hands trailed down to her waist, pressing her closer, and he let his pinkies slowly advance toward her backside, but not quite. She shuddered slightly, skidding her own hands up to the curls on the nape of his neck_

_< <Why not? It’s a nice bum: it’d be a waste not to look>>_

_At his words, she tugged a little harder on his hair, and he grunted_

_< <You have no shame, you reprobate>>_

_< <Well, since you have such a high opinion of me, I might as well do this...>>_

_They kissed._

_He brought his lips down on hers, and his grip on her hips tightened, while his eyes closed; she enveloped his neck with her arms, deepening the lip lock, still playing with his ebony curls._

_He was an incredibly good kisser; she felt her toes curl inside her shoes, and a jolt run through her body when his tongue came into contact with hers. She was talented, too, and he squeezed her even more against his body, mentally reviewing and categorising all the sensations she was giving him: the softness of her curves was getting to his head, and there was an indubitable hardness poking his trousers..._

_It quickly got out of hand._

_The broom closet was too close, and it was calling them; they just couldn’t resist, and quite frankly, they didn’t want to_

* * *

_< <I need to start getting into trouble more often, if this is where it leads>>_

_Sirius panted against Kiyrah’s shoulder, capitalising on his position to nip at her neck._

_However, Kiyrah seemed to have lost the playful attitude that had brought them to their current location, and he pulled away when he noticed; she adjusted her shirt and skirt, shrugging_

_< <I’m sure other girls will be more than willing to help you>>_

_He could only gape, and she walked out of the closet without saying anything else. The slam of the door did shake him out of his reverie though_

_< <Kay! Kay, wait!>>_

_He shuffled out of their hiding place, running after her, grabbing her by the arm to stop her; she flinched, and he immediately let go, but held her by the shoulders, like he had done earlier_

_< <What happened? Did I do something wrong?>>_

_She sighed, reaching up to stroke his hands, not looking at him_

_< <No, you didn’t>>_

_< <Then what happened?>> He pressed, concerned. She but her lip, trying to form the words in her head_

_< <It’s just... I...>>_

_< <You what? Sweetheart, you can tell me anything, you know that right?>>_

_She hesitated a little more, than blurted out in a rush_

_< <I want something more than sneaking around in broom closets>>_

_That surprised him, but he really should have seen it coming: Kiyrah was a good, serious girl, not some floozie he could fool around with and then throw away. He had never wanted that for her, in all sincerity: his intentions when it came to the Ravenclaw were honest and wholesome._

_For fuck’s sake, he’d asked her to marry him! That was what he told her_

_< <Kay, I proposed to you; this is not a fling, you must know it>>_

_< <I do, but I... I want to do something else, too>>_

_He smiled softly, pecking her forehead_

_< <Like what? Bondage?>>_

_She laughed, and his grin widened at the sight: he loved seeing her like that; he wanted to see her laughing everyday_

_< <You are an idiot, Sirius Black>>_

_< <That’s no secret, sweetheart>>_

_< <No, it isn’t. But our relationship must be>>_

_He nodded, suddenly less happy_

_< <Yeah... If our parents found out, they would separate us; we can’t allow those Slytherin idiots to interfere either>>_

_She bobbed her head in agreement, smiling sadly_

_< <I sincerely hate them right now; we can’t enjoy what we have, and it’s because of them>>_

_He tried to cheer her up, pressing his lips to hers_

_< <I think sneaking around will be fun, love. Furthermore, I can take you on dates and stuff without anyone being none the wiser: I know this castle like the back of my hand>>_

_That perspective made her beam, and she threw her arms around his neck, peppering kisses all over his face; he revelled in the attention, loving how it felt when her lips pecked his skin_

_< <You are a wonderful, wonderful man, Sirius. I love you so much>>_

_Snickering, he shrugged with false modesty_

_< <What can I say, you’re lucky to have me as your boyfriend>>_

_She blushed, and he chuckled some more, hugging her_

_< <I am, and I’m very much aware of it, love>>_

_He broke the hug, took her hand and began walking, tugging her along; she laughed giddily, scurrying after him_

_< <Where are we going, you lunatic?>>_

_< <You’ll see, love. Just come with me>>_

_With a cheeky grin, she answered with a joke_

_< <That’s the second time you’ve asked me that today>>_

_He cachinnated, halting his steps to hold his side with his free hand_

_< <You fiend! I’m marrying a fiend!>>_

_She scoffed_

_< <Pshaw, you love it>>_

_When his hysterics dwindled, he stole a kiss from her, brushing her hair out of her face_

_< <I do; and I love said fiend, too>>_

_At his words, she looked away abashedly, then suddenly skipped toward the wall: a large wooden door appeared out of nowhere, and she looked at him over her shoulder_

_< <You coming or not, Paddy?>>_

_< <I sure as hell hope I’ll be doing just that in a while>>_

_He sped toward her, ushering her inside._

_Once in, he guided her to a rather large space among various towers of sundries, and started a beautiful melody with a flick of his wand. Kiyrah was awed, and she stared at him with wide eyes and slack jaw._

_He simply pulled her closer, and they began dancing, slowly, closing their eyes to better follow the music._

_As they waltzed around the room, no other noises but their instrumental accompaniment, they felt more at peace than they had in a while._

_Being at Hogwarts was a beautiful experience, a refuge from their deranged relatives, but it was always a fight: avoiding Malfoy, Bellatrix and their posse of future Death Eaters, bearing the burden of being different, of not belonging to Slytherin, meeting in secret just to be together again._

_Nevertheless, it was the only way they could have what they shared, and they would fight tooth and nail to defend it, against anyone who tried to take it from them_

_< <Do you think we’ll be dancing like this at our wedding?>>_

_He felt, rather than saw, her grin, because both his eyes were still closed, as were hers_

_< <In private, love; I want to put on some funky or punk rock at the reception, just to piss of our parents>>_

_Her idea was met with a chuckle of approval_

_< <Oh, I can see them already: my old mother’s pale, scandalised face, your father’s livid expression, my own father boring holes through my skull with his glare...>>_

_< <Don’t forget my psychotic mother>>_

_< <She dresses you like a nun, my dear. It’s a crime to hide what you’ve got under those abominable dresses, but it is oh so satisfying to tear them apart before making love to you>>_

_She giggled, hugging him even stronger_

_< <Unfortunately, all I can offer you right now is the school uniform...>>_

_He suddenly stopped, clasped his arms around her thighs and hoisted her up, heading toward a couch that had appeared out of thin air; he eased her on the piece of furniture, taking his time to admire her before attacking the buttons of her shirt_

_< <As I said, what matters is what’s inside, my love; or, in this case, what’s underneath>>_

_< <Oh, so I am what matters?>> She quipped, grinning salaciously. He guffawed, before taking her hands in his_

_< <Always, my love; you’re the only one for me>>_

_She looked at him with such adoration he didn’t know what to say._

_At some point, though, he found himself being the one lying on the couch, with Kiyrah straddling him, and he had no idea how it happened_

* * *

<<Now that was... Intense>>

Was all Sirius could utter when he resurfaced, his eyes wide and his mouth slightly agape.

Remus shook his head amusedly

<<You two randy idiots>>

<<Hey! She was my girlfriend! And we didn’t spend all the time having sex!>>

Then, he fell silent for a moment and murmured

<<I think...>>

Remus lost it and patted him on the back

<<I wouldn’t put it past you. Now... Ready to watch some memories of her pranks? There are quite a few with Lucius Malfoy and your cousin’s names>>

<<Bellatrix? She tricked Bellatrix?>>

The taller man nodded

<<Apparently>>

The grin on Sirius’s face was incredibly bright, and he was on the verge of gambolling around the room

<<I can’t wait to see it; just let me check there’s nothing left of this memory here...>>

He went under for a moment, then lifted his head back up to inform his best friend

<<There’s another scene, which I think it’s safe for you to assist with me>>

<<You’re sure it’s not an orgy? Again, I wouldn’t put it past you>>

<<You’re in it>>

Remus’s eyebrows shot up high on his forehead

<<Have you ever participated in an orgy, Moony?>>

<<I don’t think so>>

Sirius burst out laughing, going as far as to slap his own thigh

<<Your face is priceless! I should take a picture!>>

The ex-professor rolled his eyes and shoved his old schoolmate

<<Come on, you ass... Let’s watch it>>

* * *

_< <Where have you disappeared to? We’ve been looking for you!>> James complained, looking at Kiyrah and Sirius. The latter shrugged, pulling the girl closer to kiss her cheek_

_< <We were enjoying some alone time>>_

_The bespectacled boy appeared miffed_

_< <That’s rude, and I’m deeply upset>>_

_Remus tried to get him to hold off, but James was expounding on the magnitude of their offence, and he didn’t seem to be shutting up anytime soon_

_< <All right!>> Kiyrah piped up._

_That stopped the tirade_

_< <All right what?>>_

_< <We’ll take you with us next time, Jamie. Won’t we, my darling?>>_

_Sirius was all too eager to join her mockery, and jumped on board immediately_

_< <Sure! Actually, Kay, why don’t we give him a preview?>>_

_No sooner had he said those words than she pounced on him, initiating a passionate kiss. It was only half for show, though; in fact, as time went by, they got more and more into it, until finally, James shouted_

_< <All right!>>_

_They broke apart, smirking deviously_

_< <All right what?>> Mimicked Kiyrah._

_James huffed and crossed his arms in a fit of pique_

_< <You two are positively sickening>>_

_< <Says the boy who’s been all over one of my dearest friends for five years>>_

_< <Moony, a little help here!>>_

_Remus smiled sheepishly_

_< <She has a point, Prongs>>_

_At that, James blinked, then glared at the three of them_

_< <This is a plot against me, I know it>>_

_Kiyrah shook her head, stepping up towards him_

_< <I simply wished to enjoy my boyfriend for a little while. We didn’t forget about you, Jamesie>>_

_She pecked his cheek; he smiled, chortling_

_< <You do know I’m joking, don’t you, Firefly?>>_

_She giggled, nodding_

_< <Oooh, he’s using my code name>>_

_The boy laughed and hugged her_

_< <Yours is the least obvious one, K>>_

_< <I know; Sirius sucks at nicknames>>_

_< <Hey! I resent that!>>_

_Kiyrah turned toward Remus, deadpanning_

_< <Children; we’re dealing with children>>_

_< <Consider it training for the future, K>>_

_James piped up._

_The girl turned scarlet red, and Sirius cackled awkwardly, scratching the nape of his neck._

_The brown-haired boy fell silent for a moment, observing them with a bit of uneasiness_

_< <You... You don’t want kids?>>_

_The two shared a look, blushing even further, if possible_

_< <We’re fifteen, Prongs; don’t you think we’re a bit too young to talk about children?>>_

_Under his breath, their friend muttered_

_< <Keep on shagging like randy little Nifflers, and we’ll be back on this topic in a while...>>_

_Said sentence earned him a swat from Kiyrah_

_< <Ow! I just meant that you guys are doubtlessly head over heels in love with each other, so why don’t you start programming your future? You proposed to her, for Godric’s sake>>_

_Again, Remus gave a sheepish smile_

_< <He has a point, guys>>_

_< <Stop busting my balls, Moony>>_

_Sirius complained_

_< <Yeah, that’s my job>>_

_Kiyrah squeaked when her boyfriend dipped her, growling playfully_

_< <You are a fiend, love>>_

_< <But you love me>>_

_His grin turned genuine, and he pressed a sweet kiss to her lips, smiling adoringly at his significant other_

_< <I do, doll>>_

_She practically turned into a puddle when he used that endearment, and Sirius noticed_

_< <I expect to be the godfather of your children, Pads, Firefly, just so you know>>_

_The young Ravenclaw scratched her chin thoughtfully, then the smirk returned_

_< <Nah, Rem Rem’s the favoured candidate. Right Paddy?>>_

_He spanked her softly_

_< <Don’t call me that. Anyway, yes; sorry Prongs>>_

_Remus cackled, while James was at a loss_

_< <But... But I wanted you to be my kids’ godparents!>>_

_Now that was a piece of news._

_Sirius and Kiyrah openly gaped, staring at him incredulously. The two remaining Marauders were somewhat unsettled by their catatonic expressions, but just when they were about to intervene, Kiyrah squealed and rushed toward James to wrap him in a bone-crushing hug_

_< <Thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I’m so so happy right now>>_

_< <You need to marry Evans first though, mate>> Joked her boyfriend, smiling brightly. Kiyrah became serious and slotted her eyes in concentration_

_< <I’m not giving up my role as godmother; she will fall for you, I’ll make sure of that>>_

_The three boys shared a laugh, watching her as she pouted: Sirius thought she was adorable._

_Then, James asked her something rather unexpected_

_< <What was the first thing that attracted you to Sirius, K? I know you were toddlers when you met, basically, but you ought to reme->>_

_< <Oh, that’s easy>>_

_She practically glowed as she waltzed over to her boyfriend, taking her hands in his, giddy like a schoolgirl -which she was-_

_< <He made me laugh>>_

_Sirius smiled softly at the girl, tenderly caressing her cheek_

_< <That’s it?>>_

_< <We come from abusive, unloving households, Jamie; a smile, a laugh, even a little bit of love... They’re not something you can find every day._

_Quite the opposite, truth be told >>_

_Hearing that, both Remus and James cringed_

_< <Sorry...>>_

_< <Don’t be, guys->> Began Sirius, squishing his girlfriend against him _ _< <It brought us together, and for that I’ll be forever indebted to whatever serendipity smiled upon us>>_

_With that, they kissed: it was passionate, full of love, desperate, clingy, tender and a series of other adjectives that might seem in contrast, but in that kiss all was harmony, because there’s nothing more beautiful than two broken hearts that mend and become one: the love doubles, and the strength does, too._

_And, at that moment, their bond was becoming stronger than ever, just when they thought they couldn’t love each other more_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All hail Kiyrah, one of the two Maraudettes!


	12. Rebel Love Song

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So take your hand in mine  
> It's ours tonight  
> This is a rebel love song  
> Hearts will sacrifice  
> It's do or die  
> This is a rebel love song
> 
> (Black Veil Brides)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: this chapter contains sexual content; it's not entirely explicit, but it's there.  
> If you do not want to, do not read it.  
> I will signal it with asterisks

<<She loves me because I made her laugh>>

<<Whatever she felt, it grew, Padfoot. Quite a lot, you must see it>>

The black-haired man nodded slowly, still thinking about how sunny her smile was when she’d answered James’s question.

Kiyrah must have been a master of memory spells, if she’d managed to brainwash them to such an extent; to think that just a few days earlier he would have dismissed the thought of her as the most unpleasant, bitter, rude and resentful broad he’d ever laid eyes on. Instead, she had been his sole beacon of light in the dark years he spent under his parents’ dictatorship.

He needed to get her back. And he would, he swore it to himself

<<Now it’s finally time for some fun. And don’t say you already had yours, because I will hit you>>

Sirius was in hysterics, and even Remus chuckled

<<I’m becoming predictable! That’s horrible!>>

After some good laughs, the DADA teacher uncorked another vial and poured it in the Pensieve

* * *

In the next fifteen minutes, give or take, they almost split their sides while reviewing Kiyrah’s finest tricks that she’d pulled on a quite wide range of people. Some of their favourites were:

_Kiyrah sneaking into the Slytherin dorms with their invisibility cloak to braid Malfoy’s hair, adding flowers_

_Kiyrah transforming Bellatrix’s mane into a full-fledged Medusa hairdo_

_Kiyrah slipping the forgetfulness potion in some Slytherin kids’ drinks before a test_

_Kiyrah charming Lucius’s pumpkin juice to turn it into rum_

_Kiyrah hexing his cousin so that she spoke with a squeaky voice for the whole day_

They doubled over in laughter, tears pricking in their eyes from the effort, but they were welcome, happy tears; the fact that Kiyrah, much like him, had not lost the will to fight or to enjoy life, goof around and be happy warmed their hearts

<<Oh, oh Godric... She was evil!>>

<<I- I cannot believe she would do that... That thing with the skirt!>>

<<Professor Flitwick had a heart attack! It was priceless! She is everything I’ve ever wanted in a woman>>

Remus smiled at Sirius, and patted him on the back to encourage him

<<Then try to talk things out with her, Pads; this time no sex though, ok?>>

The black-haired wizard shrugged, a devious smirk on his mouth

<<Well... If it happens, why not?>>

With a resigned sigh, the taller man gathered the remaining bottles and disappeared through the fireplace to bring them back to Kiyrah’s room, leaving Sirius to resolve on how to best approach the woman

<<You can do this; it’s just Kiyrah>>

He did a double-take

<<Just Kiyrah? There’s no way the word “just” and her name can be in the same sentence!

For crying out loud, the woman raised four children on her own, survived her homicidal parents, produced a non-verbal Patronus at the age of thirteen, a huge-ass dragon, nothing less... And she can transform into said animal! She’ll have my head on a stick if I so much as leer at her again>>

These thoughts brought a fond chuckle to his lips, and he shook his head with amusement and a hint of exasperation

<<She is completely, irretrievably crazy, and I love it- her.

Fuck, yes, I love her.

And I’m going to tell her when she gets back>>

No sooner had he uttered those words than lime flames gleamed again, and he turned to welcome his friend back, to communicate his resolution

<<Moony, I’ve decided I will tell her to->>

His words died right then and there when he realised the person who had stepped out of the fireplace was a far cry from Remus.

Ringlets of dark hair encased a round, olive-skinned face with twinkling obsidian eyes and a grin which was half a smirk half a genuine smile.

Kiyrah.

She seemed giddy and pleased with herself: the mission had gone well, then.

Unfortunately for her, she lingered where she was a bit too much, so when Remus appeared beside her, she lost her balance and toppled over, dragging him down with her as she tried, in vain, to hold on to his jumper. Thus, they ended on the floor, in a very awkward position: she was under him, and he lay between her legs.

As soon as he took notice of the compromising situation, he scrambled to his feet, away from her, blushing, avoiding Sirius’s eyes, while the shorter wizard enjoyed a good laugh at his best mate’s expense.

Finally, he helped the woman to her feet; she, too, was cackling at Remus’s discomfort.

Sirius was actually very happy she had not rebuffed him: holding her in his arms like that felt absolutely right, especially after what he’d discovered that afternoon

<<Kiyrah! You’re back!>>

Remus stared. She nodded, grinning widely

<<Yes! And I’m happy to announce that I exposed my parents as Death Eaters! They’re wanted now!>>

The two men felt their eyebrows rise, while she still shook with adrenaline and satisfaction

<<It was amazing! I kicked my father in the balls! It felt sooooooo good!>>

Remus was a little befuddled, while Sirius cachinnated; the girl was made of fire

<<You’re nuts, Kay; downright bonkers>>

She scrunched her nose in a way he thought was absolutely adorable and poked him in the chest with her index finger

<<I must be: I married you>>

He threw his head back in laughter and hugged her closer

<<Well, I hope you were crazy _about me_ >>

She giggled, slapping his shoulder playfully.

Sirius was not one to delude himself: Kiyrah was just excited from her mission.

He’d noticed that their “reapproachings”, so to say, happened whenever she lowered her guard, be it because she was worried about his punched nose or a promise of revenge from his parents. At that moment, she’d let her guard down, and he was not going to take advantage of it: it wouldn’t be fair, to her or him, nor anyone else.

Anyway, Kiyrah wasn’t easy to hoodwink, and she’d hand his ass over to him if he ever tried to do something like that; an angry Kiyrah was not something to look forward to

<<Mommy!>>

A hoard of teenagers barged into the room; at the forefront of the charge were James, Evan and Marlene, who headed straight for their mother.

Sirius immediately pulled back from her, but he saw that everyone noticed their embrace, particularly his children, though they acted as if nothing was off.

As soon as she saw them, Kiyrah opened her arms to hug them, and squeezed them impossibly tight

<<Did you miss me?>>

<<Yes!>>

She laughed, elated.

He had never seen her look so overjoyed; maybe he had, but he didn’t remember.

She had to be very good with memory spells for him to mistake her for an entirely different person; but maybe it was a good thing: his parents were gone, hers were in prison... It would have been better to meet again after the war, but he was grateful for what he had now: he could look after her, and their children; it would finally be a real marriage. Not a proper marriage, but a real one

<<Did you give uncle Mooncake too much trouble while I was away?>>

<<No, we’ve been well-behaved angels>>

<<According to who?>>

Everyone laughed at her joke, and her children shrugged. Kiyrah looked at Harry, beckoning him closer

<<You’re more like your mother than I thought: James was a lot more... Impetuous>>

The teen chuckled and walked toward her, joining the hug

<<I merely didn’t want to get trampled: these three have the grace of an elephant>>

She pinched his cheek softly and smiled, while the triplets shoved him.

When they pulled away, she greeted everyone else, one by one; even Molly and Arthur came in the room

<<Did they give any problems, Molly? I want the truth>>

The red-haired woman shook her head with a smile

<<Oh, no; they all spent the evening talking pranks with Sirius>>

The man in question raised his hands in mock surrender when she turned toward him

<<I did nothing to instigate them>>

Kiyrah snorted

<<As if they need any encouragement>>

Her children just hugged her, happy to see her again

<<Guys, your mother needs to rest now, don’t you think?>> Remus interjected. The young wizards were not happy about it, but understood, and let go of Kiyrah; she pecked each of their foreheads and bid them goodnight, then Molly and Arthur sent them back to bed: it was very late

<<Those fiends... They woke up the whole house to see me>>

Beside her, Sirius chortled

<<They love you; of course they’d want to greet you the moment you came back>>

She shook her head, an affectionate smile curving her lips

<<I love them too, so much>>

Suddenly, they noticed the silence in the living room: Remus, too, had fled.

 _That little shit_ , Sirius thought. _Oh well, this is my chance_

<<Kay...>>

She immediately tensed up: her walls were back on.

It was now it never: if he left her alone, even for a minute, she’d sprout thorns and never let him in again. He had to do it

<<I’m rather tired, I->>

He cupped her face in his hands, delicately brushing his thumb over a bruise on her cheek

<<Did they hit you again?>>

She flinched but tried to brush it off

<<You see, I attacked them->>

He could think of only one way to shut her up. Well not exactly: either she’ll gape at him like a fish, or she’ll fly into a temper and unleash her fiery tongue on him.

It was worth a shot.

He kissed her; it was a peck, nothing more, but he _did_ kiss her. He then pulled away to witness her reaction.

Nothing happened. For a while, she just stared at him, and he was almost persuaded that it might be the first option; almost.

In fact, after a while, anger marred her features, and she gnarled

<<What the hell do you think you’re doing?>>

<<Was it not clear enough? Do you want me to do it again?>>

<<No, you idiot! What makes you think that you can just->>

He did it again anyway; she got even madder, but he ignored the threatening growl

<<Kiyrah, I know what you’re doing, and you can stop: it’s not working anymore>>

She blinked, utterly puzzled

<<What- What->>

She was very flustered

<<You’re trying to shut me out so I don’t get attached>>

<<What- What->>

<<I’m right, aren’t I?>>

Her eyes became two slits, and she loured at him; it was intimidating, sure, but he didn’t relent. She snarled

<<What gives you this delirious idea, Black?>>

Mh.

She resorted to his family name to enrage him.

He was on the right track, but now, it was time to confess; it wouldn’t be easy. He knew she’d get angry, and as he was well aware, an angry Kiyrah was not something to look forward to.

But this was the final round, and he would lose her if he let her go now. No way.

No way in hell

<<I saw your memories>>

<<YOU WHAT?>>

Sirius had never thought he would be the one to cast a silencing charm to avoid someone overhearing him fighting with someone else; usually, he was the hothead who shouted at the top of his lungs.

Well, there are always first times.

He flicked his wand, and then turned to face, again, the fuming woman in front of him; for Godric’s sake, he wouldn’t be surprised if she transformed into a dragon right then and there

<<Remus went to retrieve a trunk from your room, and he found this mysterious collection of glistening flasks hidden under the bed...>>

<<AND YOU POKED AROUND MY STUFF?!>>

<<It was more of a dive...>>

She roughly grabbed him by the lapels of his jacket, and forcibly yanked him forward

<<DON’T MOCK ME, SIRIUS BLACK! YOU HAD NO RIGHT TO NOSE ABOUT MY THINGS! HOW DARE YOU?!>>

He was shaken, no doubt, but he understood she was just covering for her worry, hoping to anger him enough for him to drop the topic.

Like he’d said before to himself, no way in hell

<<Ok, fine, I’m sorry! But you can’t blame me for wanting to get to the bottom of the mess that is our marriage!>>

<<Marriage? What marriage? We spent six months together and then you jilted me like the dog you are!>>

<<You sound just like Remus>>

<<Good, he’s a righteous man! Well, I thought so, until you said he helped you>>

Funny how he had to plan this argument like a battle.

Time to strike

<<What about you, Miss Blackmour? You->>

<<It’s McGonagall now, I already told you!>>

<<Fine, fine, Miss McGonagall. What about you? You waltz around obliviating people and distorting their memories. What right do you have to do that?>>

He actually feared she would harm him.

She bared her teeth, lifting her hand to slap him across the face, and he closed his eyes, readying himself for the blow.

But it never came.

Instead, he heard sobs.

His eyes flew open, and he saw her bawling her eyes out. That sight made his heart clench, and he enveloped her in his arms, pressing kisses to her forehead while she cried, and cried

<<Darling, don’t worry, it’s ok->>

<<No it’s not! You were not supposed to see that!>>

He held her tighter, slowly stroking her hair

<<But I have, and I would like an explanation. Though I think I know why you did what you’ve done>>

She burrowed her face in his chest, shaking her head

<<I hate you>>

<<If you really did, you wouldn’t have offered yourself as a sacrificial lamb in my stead to save my reckless ass from my parents>>

A gasp escaped Kiyrah’s lips, and she craned her head up to look at him

<<You... You saw that memory...>>

<<And many more, my love, but not all of them. Are there any more vials with a similar unfurling of events?>>

<<For fuck’s sake, Sirius, you’re not supposed to know!>>

<<What’re you gonna do, obliviate me again?>>

<<It might be a good option>>

She had grown softer.

He pressed some more pecks to the top of her head and smiled at her

<<You deserve to be happy, darling, and I think your happiness includes me; what’s stopping us now?>>

<<My parents are still a threat...>>

<<To hell with them, sweetheart; they would be after me anyway because I’m a member of the Order. What do you have to lose?>>

She squeezed his hand, cupping his chin to look him in the eyes

<<You>>

The intensity of her gaze took his breath away: she loved him so much. How on Earth had he ever missed that?

No one could possibly not notice the fondness she regarded him with; he, instead, had done just that...

No, he had been brainwashed. But for a good reason.

And every single time she had to wipe him again, because they ended up loving each other again and again and again

<<Promise me you won’t try to save me, if they get me>>

He lifted her hand and pressed his lips to it, holding her gaze

<<You know I can’t do that, love>>

<<I don’t want any of you to get hurt->>

<<Darling, none of us wants that for you either; yet you sacrificed yourself for us.

If you’re allowed to do it, we are too>>

She giggled, hugging him

<<I guess that’s only fair>>

<<Indeed>>

They sat down on the couch, hand in hand, and he pulled her on his lap, making her blush

<<You are adorable>>

<<Yeah, sure... Can you tell me which memories you and Remus watched?>>

He chuckled

<<I did enjoy some red-tagged, hot ones, if you must know>>

She swatted him on the shoulders, giggling

<<Let me guess; our first time?>>

<<Yes. And the night you patched my nose. And the one where we used the Room of Requirement>>

Kiyrah chortled, leaning against him

<<Mh, that’s child’s play>>

<<There are some which are even racier?>>

<<Oh, yes; quite a few>>

<<Tell me about them>>

<<I will show you later, if you like>> She purred.

He shuddered

<<You’re a dirty old man>>

<<We are the same age!>>

<<I’m a few months younger than you>>

<<Still, we’re the same age>>

They laughed together, holding each other close, relishing the feeling; it was heavenly, and now that they could have it, they did not want to let go, for no reason at all. How could they, after waiting for almost twenty years to be reunited?

After all, as he’d said, she deserved some happiness; he did too.

And they would have it

<<I can’t believe you kept all that from me>>

<<I didn’t want you to know>>

<<Kinda like with our children, uh?>>

That made her hide her face in her hands, shaking her head

<<You had rejected me by the time I found out and made it abundantly clear you wanted nothing to do with me.

I had to keep it a secret, because I didn’t want my parents to take the kids from me...>>

He shuddered, thinking what those monsters could have done to the triplets.

Then, he shook his head to clear his thoughts, and stood up, hoisting her in his arms, bridal style

<<Sirius! Put me down! You know I’m too heavy for this!>>

<<Give me some credit, darling; I’m no longer the stick-thin derelict I was in Azkaban>>

She shuddered, cupping his chin and turning his face so their eyes met

<<I don’t want to think about you in that place>>

He smiled

<<Unfortunately I did spend a dozen years trapped in that hellhole, my love>>

She teared up, growling

<<That little fucker- He let you rot in there for so long->>

He kissed her to shut her up and smiled softly when he pulled away

<<Love, I’m flattered by your anger, but it’s useless. Anyhow, you’d better save your energy, because I need an explanation, and I’m not gonna wait any longer this time>>

She giggled, skimming a finger over the exposed skin of his collarbone

<<If you think of where waiting got you last time…>>

Sirius shivered but shook his head to maintain some resolve

<<No, it won’t work now; I’m too curious. And there’ll be plenty of time for that later, after we’ve straightenedeverything out>>

<<Fine; your room, or mine?>>

<<You make it sound like we’re going to have sex, Kay>>

<<Eventually, we will…>>

<<Be honest, you want to avoid confrontation, don’t you?>>

<<Just partly… But I know I cannot evade you forever>>

<<Good girl>>

She snorted

<<Now _you_ are making it sound like we’re going to have sex, Sir>>

<<Fuck->>

Kiyrah threw her head back in a heartfelt bout of laughter, then pressed her lips to his, wrapping her arms around his neck

<<You are an idiot, Sirius Black>>

<<You are, too, Kiyrah Blackmour>>

<<It’s McGonagall now, I told you>>

<<Won’t be for long if I have my way…>>

Her eyes widened, but he apparated before she could so much as open her mouth

* * *

<<I ended up choosing my room>>

She smiled at him, taking a seat in the armchair next to the bed

<<I never thought I’d be in here with the woman I love>>

Kiyrah blushed, giggling softly; yet again, he found himself thinking of how adorable she looked. His own flower in the arid desert that had been his life under his mother and father’s reign of terror. Though it had not been entirely his fault, he’d neglected the flower, not giving it the care and love it deserved.

But he was set on remedying his past mistakes, and on healing the wounds that their psychotic biological generators -because they did not deserve the title of parents- had inflicted on them both

<<So… Go ahead; ask me what you need to know>>

He mused for a while, then began giving her the third degree

<<Just say yes or no; your parents have been abusing you from a young age>>

<<Yes>>

<<They wanted to make you a Death Eater>>

<<Yes>>

<<But you never joined _him_ >>

<<And I never will>> She growled, slitting her eyes.

He smiled

<<Love, I appreciate your spunk, but let’s not get sidetracked>>

<<Oh, yeah. Sorry. You were saying?>>

<<They threatened to kill me, and our friends?>>

<<Yes. You…>>

<<What?>>

<<You saw the memory from that old nicked bottle with a worn black tag, right?>>

He cringed, taking a deep breath to keep calm

<<Yes. I… I so wanted to->>

<<Ah ah ah, darling; I appreciate your spunk, but let’s not get sidetracked>>

That made Sirius guffaw wholeheartedly, slapping his thigh with incredulity

<<Stop turning everything I say against me! It’s not fair!>>

Kiyrah sniggered, shrugging

<<I can and I will, you dog>>

***************************************************************************************************************************

On impulse, he lunged toward her. He sat on the mattress, yanking her on his lap; she blushed, and he pecked her cheeks.

She carded her fingers through his maze of black strands, and he hummed appreciatively

<<I didn’t know dogs could purr…>>

<<Shut up and tell me the story>>

She harrumphed; he would have seen the little smirk on her lips if his eyes weren’t closed as he enjoyed her hands in his mane

<<Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess, who lived in a tower; she spent her days checking out her reflection in the mirror, combing her black hair and preening herself on her pewter eyes…>>

He interrupted her narration rotating his back, tipping her toward the mattress; she fell on it with a small squeal, and he slithered on top of her

<<Very funny, Kay>>

<<I know>>

To shut her up, he planted his lips firmly on hers for a few seconds; she responded in kind, before pushing him away, smirking

<<Back off, you mangy mutt, or we’ll get nowhere with this interrogation>>

<<You’re the one who proposed to employ our time differently, my darling>>

<<Well, now you’ll have to wait, so move on; the sooner we’re done with this ordeal, the sooner we get to check who will squeak louder tonight: me or this old, rickety thing>>

He sucked in a breath, closing his eyes to savour the image, tightening his hold on the covers

<<You minx. You’re enjoying this>>

He accused; she nodded shamelessly, her chuckles getting louder

<<Immensely>>

He unsheathed a devilish smirk, standing up and looming over her like a shadow; he sneaked his arms around her legs and hauled her up, while she floundered a little

<<You know what, darling? I’m no longer in such a rush to discuss; we can get to the bottom of this mess later>>

His words caused Kiyrah to snigger, drawing circles on his chest

<<Mh... You prefer to top, if I recall correctly...>>

Sirius snickered, squeezing her tighter

<<I do, you vixen...>>

Her hands reached his hair, tugging gently, making him growl

<<If you really don’t want to sleep with me now you need to stop that, Kiyrah>>

She chuckled, but shook her head; he sat back on the mattress, adjusting her on his lap.

Kiyrah smiled, tilting her head to kiss him; for his part, he accepted the kiss gladly, sliding his tongue on her lips, and she parted them just as happily

<<We shouldn’t be doing this>>

<<You don’t seem that reticent to me, darling...>>

He moved his mouth to her neck, and she sunk her fingers in his black strands

<<Oh, love, I’m anything but. The point is... I wanted to fix things with you before we went over it again, so it could be, you know... Special>>

He leaned back on his elbows, a huge grin on his face

<<It’s already special when I’m with you, Kiyrah. But we could shag like monkeys a couple of times before talking things out>>

<<You’re okay with waiting? You’re not afraid of what else I may have hidden from you?>>

He copped a feel of her butt, grinning smugly

<<Yes, but after what I found out, I’m one-hundred percent sure I can trust you, love>>

Kiyrah sighed, glancing down at him

<<Are you sure? What if->>

He shushed her with a finger, shaking his head

<<Just say you’re mine>>

With a laugh, the woman booped him on the nose, amused by his smirk

<<You know I am, you mutt>>

<<Well, then->>

He flipped them over; she squealed, surprised, overcome with laughter

<<You gave your consent, darling>>

<<I wasn’t talking about this- Ah!>>

He had ground his hips against hers

<<Well, I was>>

She took a peek at his stiffy; at the same time, he rested his weight on his arms on either side of her face, glancing at her with affection

<<Love, if you don’t want to do it right now, we don’t- Fuck>>

Kiyrah had gone ahead and was now rubbing her foot against his crotch, a lascivious smile on her lips, lust in her gaze

<<How long do you think you’ll last?>>

He slowly trailed his hands up her thighs

<<Long, like always, darling. Fucking hell->>

A string of curses left his lips when she increased the pressure of his movements

<<You really are out to get it, Kiyrah>>

She chuckled, still moving her feet up and down his length

<<I think you have a problem down there...>>

He groaned, painfully aroused

<<Love, I’m aching>>

She spread her legs, smiling lasciviously, tugging him closer by his t-shirt

<<Then take me, lover boy>>

In his excitement, Sirius actually growled

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story is developed further in the next chapter


	13. Twinkle Twinkle Little Scars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Twinkle twinkle little scars  
> Tell me how deep you are  
> Down below my skin so deep  
> In my dreams when I sleep
> 
> (Raven Black)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: this chapter contains mentions of sexual scenarios, a rape attempt (it's only an attempt, and it fails) and a panic attack. Do not read if triggered.  
> I will signal them both appropriately (sexual content with asterisks, the aggression with hashtags and the panic attack with the paragraph symbol §) but this chapter can be skipped entirely. For those who do not wish to read it, I will summarise what happened here in the next chapter

<<We _did_ have sex, in the end>>

Sirius laughed, pulling her closer, kissing the top of her head

<<You are a wily little minx, Kiyrah>>

<<You say that like it’s a bad thing>>

<<Oh, no. Never>>

They kissed, closing their eyes.

It wasn’t rushed, animalistic like a few moments earlier; it was slow, passionate, and loving. So much so that they smiled in the kiss

<<Now… Shall we get back to our conversation?>>

<<Probably… There are so many things I want to ask you, I don’t know where to start>>

She pecked his cheek, caressing his chest

<<The first that comes to your mind, love; we’ll cover every single one, I promise>>

<<Ok… When did you get pregnant with the triplets?>>

Kiyrah sighed and snuggled closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder

<<We were still at school when it happened, in seventh year to be precise>>

<<I’m sorry what?!>>

<<Yes, you heard correctly>>

<<But I ran away in fifth year…>>

<<In fact, I hadn’t seen you in ages, before that day.

In the two years we’ve been apart, I’ve lived with my parents, enduring their mistreatments, pretending to focus on my education so they wouldn’t try to find another husband for me>>

Sirius took a deep breath to soothe his nerves, but it didn’t help him much. He kept replaying that memory in his mind, thinking of what other unfathomable horrors she had endured… The vast array of fights and clashes he’d had with his own relatives gave him too much inspiration to draw from

<<Unfortunately, a little before my N.E.W.T.s, luck abandoned me>>

<<Much like I have…>>

She squeezed his hand, silently shushing him

<<One day, Alister and Cassiopeia took me aside and told me they were going to find me a new husband, whom I would have to marry after passing my exams>>

His grip on her tightened, and he rested his chin on the top of her head; he wanted to shield her from those horrors, to keep her happy. The sad truth, however, was that he could just hold her as she unravelled the story for him.

He knew perfectly well how hard it was, being different in a world populated by snakes

<<Obviously, I was outraged, but I kept it to myself, otherwise I would have gotten nowhere. I took a more diplomatic route, underlining that I was still, in the eyes of the law at least, married to you, and that there was no way to obtain a divorce because, though you would undoubtedly be thrilled to get rid of me, you couldn’t be reached by any of us>>

He harrumphed

<<I wouldn’t be “undoubtedly thrilled to get rid of you”. Never>>

Kiyrah responded with a smooch on his lips

<<I know, love. But those assassins didn’t>>

<<Right, right… Go on>>

<<They simply told me you had been disowned, so you no longer were my husband, in legal terms. I was utterly crushed at those news, but it made me happy to discover that you had been taken in by the Potters>>

<<That’s why you named our kids after them?>>

She giggled

<<Remus told you?>>

<<Yeah. You’ll have to tell me why he knows so much about you and the triplets>>

<<Later, sweetie>>

<<Also, why did you name Evan after my uncle Alphard?>>

<<Because he was the only member of your family who actually treated you like a human being, and cared for you. You always spoke so highly of him>>

A small smile curved his lips

<<He was a good man; I’m sure he’d be happy to know my son was named after him>>

<<And he would surely be very proud of you, too, my love>>

She pressed her lips to his, softly running her fingers through his hair; he smiled at her

<<We’re getting sidetracked>>

Kiyrah giggled

<<And you’re repeating yourself>>

He adjusted her in his embrace, telling her to continue with her narration

<<In the end, I had to agree to marry someone else, even though I had no intention with following through with it; I hoped it would fade in the back of whatever they were plotting, so I went on studying for my N.E.W.T.s, avoiding the topic of marriage, and avoiding you and the guys like the plague.

It worked, for a while: I finished my exams, got all Os, compliments from my professors… It was wonderful. It would have been even more perfect if you all had been there to party with me, but I knew you couldn’t>>

He kissed her hand in a silent apology; she kissed his neck, dismissing it

<<The extremely unpleasant surprise came a little while later, before the ending ceremony: Alister and Cassiopeia had arranged a marriage between me and someone from the Carrow family; I don’t even remember the name>>

<<Carrow?! As in Carrow, the Death-Eaters?>>

<<Yes>>

<<Fucking->>

<<I know, love, I know; I was disgusted, too. Unfortunately, the death threats aimed at you, Remus, James and Lily were really good incentives, so I accepted to become his wife.

We started hanging out, with the pretence of getting acquainted; those were the worst few days of my life>>

She took a deep breath, visibly distressed; her voice was cracking, and her hold on him was getting stronger

<<Then came the evening that changed my life permanently>>

He felt her anxiousness as she relived that horrid experience, and peppered her face with kisses trying to soothe her

<<Love, maybe it is better if you let me see this myself; you have it somewhere in your collection of memories, don’t you?>>

She nodded, hiding her face in the crook of his neck

<<Then I’ll go get it>>

Her eyes widened, and she jumped up

<<No you won’t, you lunatic! You will stay here while I go fetch it>>

<<Alright; but be quick>>

<<I will, you idiot. I’m sure Minnie has missed me, but I’ll reunite with her properly later>>

That said, she got up and started to get dressed; he observed her, noticing all the marks and scars that had eluded his inspection before

<<You’ve hidden those from me>>

No need to ask; she knew what he was talking about

<<Yes>>

He scooted closer to her, wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed a kiss on each and every single cicatrix visible

<<Don’t do it, Kiyrah. Not anymore. I love you; all of you>>

She threw on her jumper and turned around, cupping his face in her hands and kissing him soundly, thanking him; he felt a tear trickle down her cheek, and wiped it away when they pulled apart

<<I love you too, Sirius; so much>>

With that, she walked out the room. He decided to get out of bed and put on some clothes, while she was away, and to go wait for her in the living room.

* * *

When she reappeared in the fireplace, walking out of the green flames with a lot of flasks in her arms, he grinned like an idiot, and opened his arms; she giggled, dumped her load on the nearest armchair and scurried in his embrace, throwing herself at him, hugging him tightly, as he did

<<I’ve always wanted to do this>>

<<You can tell me, love; we can try out all your fantasies>>

<<Pig>>

They laughed together, and Kiyrah booped her nose against his

<<We can’t get distracted again, love>>

<<Right, we have to go see the asshole who almost took my place>>

<<No one could ever, ever replace you, darling. Never>>

He smiled happily and kissed her, before setting her down; each of them grabbed some bottles, and they headed to the room where Sirius and Remus had visioned her memories

<<Are you ready?>>

<<As ready as I’ll ever be…>>

<<That’s the spirit>>  
They laughed and took each other’s hand, looking into each other’s eyes

<<Together>>

They dove into the liquid

* * *

_Kiyrah and her parents had been invited to the Carrow manor, for a “family dinner”. She was sitting next to a boy, approximately eighteen years old, with dirty blond hair and blue eyes; he was lanky, with a hooked nose, and the way he looked at her was unsettling._

_She focused on her dish, eating silently, not lifting her gaze from her cutlery, answering only when spoken to with short, curt replies. She kind of hoped her intended betrothed’s parents would deem her unfit to marry their precious heir, so she could remain unwed; now that Sirius had left her, she wanted to be alone. No one could ever take his place, in her heart and in her life._

_When the banquet was over the young man stood up, looking at his parents_

_< <Mother, father, I would like to show Estelle around, if it agrees with you>>_

_Kiyrah tried to mask the wince when he called her that; she hated the name Estelle: it reminded her of her parents, because they were the only ones who used it. It was the name of some very important great-great-great-grandmother, or something of the sort. She didn’t care; it was probably a sour old lady who’d done nothing but preach pureblood superiority her whole life, like that abomination of Walburga Black, Sirius’s mother_

_< <Of course, dear; it would do her good to familiarise herself with her future home, and you can get to know each other better, too. What do you say, Estelle?>>_

_Again, she swallowed down the ominous feeling that came with that moniker, and forced a smile on her lips_

_< <I would be delighted to visit this manor, Mrs Carrow>>_

_< <Oh please, dear, call me mother; you will marry my son in a while, after all>>_

_She felt sick to her stomach, and the false grin on her face only became even less authentic: this harpy was certainly no better than her heartless harridan of a mother, and she was just as pretentious and foppish_

_< <Thank you, mother>>_

_< <Excellent. Off you go, my dears>>_

_They walked through the corridors, visited the library, and the kitchens; it was dreary, dull and dark, much like their own house, where each room was more musty than the previous one, though it seemed impossible. She pretended to be interested in some of the portraits, asking with fake curiosity about who it represented and what incredible deeds he or she had accomplished in his or her life; obviously, he fell into her trap and began to talk, and talk, and talk, about his ancestors and how great the House of Carrow was, how lucky she was to be joining it._

_The last bit made her smirk, and she tried to disguise it as a polite smile: she was neither a Carrow, nor a Blackmour, nor a Black; she was Kiyrah, wife of Sirius, whether he knew it or not._

_She pretended to listen to him droning on and on about the grandeur of his bloodline; she was accustomed to such situations: her parents were continuously mouthing off about the Blackmour lineage, the importance of blood purity, and suchlike topics, which bored her to no end. However, to avoid beatings, she had learned how to fake interest in their speeches, an ability that turned out to be very useful when dealing with airheads like the one babbling on beside her._

**#########################################################################################################################################**

_And so, she could enjoy some peace of mind, for a little while. Then, when we reached the bedrooms, calamity struck._

_He slammed her against the wall, forcing his lips on hers while he moved his hips indecently against hers; when she raised her hands to fight him, he tied them with a spell, opened the door and ushered her in the room, all the while keeping her mouth shut._

_Kiyrah bit his finger, and he retreated his hand, before slapping her_

_< <You bitch!>>_

_He pushed her to the floor and straddled her, pulling at her dress and ripping in in the process, while she writhed on her back; he slapped her again, harder_

_< <You are my property, you belong to me! You will give yourself to me!>>_

_< <Never!>>_

_She scratched his face with her nails and punched him, pushing him away; while he pulled himself together, she scooted far from him, but before she could get anywhere he stood up, walked toward her, and held a knife to her throat_

_< <What’s the matter, sweetheart? Do you miss your precious Black bastard?>>  
Kiyrah froze, glaring at him; he laughed darkly, smugly_

_< <Don’t give me that look; everybody in the wizarding world knows he is a blood traitor, and he ditched you for those filthy mudbloods! You married an idiot who shamed you! My parents only accepted you as my wife because of your family’s connections to the Dark Lord!>>_

_She kicked him in the back, accidentally making the blade cut through her skin; blood flowed out, but it was just a scratch, fortunately. However, the blond slapped her once more; her cheeks was red, but she did not even flinch: a lifetime spent with her parents had hardened her to pain_

_< <Your family needs this marriage to maintain its position in the pureblood society! You will give yourself to me, now, and whenever I want, or I will publicly humiliate you, much worse than what that idiot of your first husband has done!>>_

_He undid his trousers and moved to lift her skirts._

_At that point, Kiyrah was beside herself with fury._

_She punched him in the balls, then in the chin; ultimately, she swung both her arms in his face, knocking him to the floor, finally managing to free herself from his grasp; she spotted the knife and grabbed it, cutting the ties that bound her wrists, before standing up and taking out her wand._

_The bastard had succeeded in getting his out of his cloak, but she was quicker_

_< <Expelliarmus!>>_

_While his wooden stick flew in the corner, Kiyrah growled at him, seething with rage_

_< <You will never have me, asshole! Not now, not ever! I couldn’t care less about this betrothal and my family’s position among the sacred twenty-eight!>>_

_< <You bitch>>_

_He tried to stand, but she stopped him_

_< <Petrificus Totalus!>>_

_The man fell to the ground like a bag of potatoes_

_< <As for my husband, my one and only husband, he is the only man I’ve ever loved, the only one I’ll ever love, and the only one who is allowed to touch me like a husband does a wife!_

_I will not marry anyone else, and especially not you! You are too arrogant, petty, obnoxious and selfish for me to even remotely entertain the thought!_

_My husband is twice the man you are, and yes, I miss him, but I have standards, and you do not meet them at all! And anyway, from what I felt, he literally is twice the man you are >>_

_Feeling satisfied, especially when she noticed how his eyes had widened, Kiyrah cast Alohomora on the locked door and ran out, hellbent on getting out of that castle asap._

**#########################################################################################################################################**

_She transfigured her horrid dress into muggle clothes, unpinned her hair, and disapparated._

_She was going to do what Sirius had done two years prior; something that she should have done a lot sooner._

_She was going to run away._

_Thank Godric she was finally of age._

* * *

<<And that was the specimen my parents selected as my husband; their taste really worsened after you, sweetheart>>

Sirius was beyond furious at that point; the thought of someone getting their hands on her, treating her like that, like a slave, was making him see red. His jaw was set, his mouth firm, and his eyes were full of hatred and contempt

<<I should have acted sooner; I let it get too far. This -she pointed at a small, horizontal discolouration right under her jaw- was the result>>

When Sirius looked at Kiyrah, all his outrage vanished. Her eyes had that effect on him; he felt as though he was floating on a cloud, carefree and with no worries, happy beyond compare.

He took her head in his hands, brushing his thumb over the old cut

<<I’m sorry for not being there>>

She snorted

<<Oh, love, I needed no protection: the bastard had it much worse, as you saw>>

Sirius cachinnated, nodding

<<That I know, my darling: you are made of fire, and it’s one of the things I like most about you>>

Kiyrah sighed happily, closing her eyes and leaning against him

<<By the way, that last comment was gold, Kay; I have no words>>

She giggled

<<Well, it is true the man I love is well hung>>

<<Thanks, love>>

She opened one eye, peeking at him with a smirk

<<Mh? Oh, yeah, you’re not bad either>>

He gaped, dumbstruck: the woman had a tongue sharp like a razor.

She shook with peal after peal of laughter, so much that her eyes got wet with tears. Finally, he shook himself out of his stupor, and put on a fake angry frown

<<You rascal! Come here!>>

She squealed and ran away chortling like a child; he followed close on her heels, enjoying the chase immensely. In the end Kiyrah stopped, allowing Sirius to catch her.

He wrapped his arms around her and spun her in the air, grinning madly while she squawked

<<I got you>>

<<Always, love. Always>>

After a kiss, he put her down, and she pulled him toward the impromptu pensieve

<<There’s more to this memory, love>>

He furrowed his brow

<<Do I need to worry?>>

<<Nah. The second half is red-tagged, much to your joy>>

He leered at her, and she slapped his shoulder

<<Dirty old man>>

<<We are the same age!>>

<<I don’t care; you are a pervert>>

<<I can’t help it, Kay; you’re beautiful>>

************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************  
Unexpectedly, she burst into laughter; he cocked his head, puzzled

<<What’s so funny?>>

<<I’m imagining you trying to hide an erection from Rem Rem after watching an x-rated memory>>

His eyebrows rose high on his forehead as she kept on laughing. Noticing his silence, her hysterics worsened

<<Did that really happen?>>

<<…>>

<<Oh Godric, it did! This is priceless!>>

She was so beside herself with laughter that she had to sit down, while he held his gaze to the floor, slightly ashamed. Finally, when he’d had enough of her mockery, he strutted over to her and rested one arm on either side of her; she immediately stopped laughing, and her throat suddenly parched when she noticed the look in his eyes

<<Well, darling, if we’re watching porn together, my reaction will be the same, you know. And it would be a terrible waste to pass on such an opportunity…>>

He let his hands skate down to her hips to better explain what he meant. Kiyrah nodded, entranced by his eyes

<<Oh, you agree. Very wise of you>>

He offered her his hand to hoist her to her feet, pressing his lips to the back of it once she was standing.

The woman produced her wand and cast a silencing charm and locked the door, causing the man to give her a lecherous look

<<If Little Sirius pops up to say hi once we’re done with this, we’re getting it on on the armchair>>

<<Stop calling me Little>>

<<You know what I mean, idiot; and we are having sex on the armchair>>

<<Someone may sit on it tomorrow, or some other day>> He mocked

<<Who gives a fuck>>

<<Oh, I will>>

She sniggered, pouring the content of the flask in the receptacle after having removed the previous one, and took his hand

<<You ready?>>

<<Yes ma’am>>

With a laugh, she playfully shoved him

<<Dirty old man>>

<<Randy beautiful woman>>

And they sunk their heads in the past

************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

* * *

_Kiyrah was sitting on a stool by the counter in the Three Broomsticks, in Hogsmeade. It was the first place that had come to her mind when she’d disappeared from Carrow manor in a rush, irked and out of sorts: it was crowded, so she was safe; there was food, so she could eat; it was close to some inns, so she could sleep somewhere warm, paying with what she’d managed to smuggle from the hellhole she had called home until a few hours earlier._

_The adrenaline rushing through her veins at the thought of what she’d done was heady, and it defeated totally the fear of her parents finding her and exacting their revenge._

_They would kill her. They would surely kill her this time; she’d gone way too far, shaming them in front of another pureblood family and, consequently, the whole wizarding world. Not only that: she’d terribly besmirched the honour of one of the greatest -and most full of shit- noble pureblood houses._

_It was too much; she was branded as a traitor._

_But she felt free, oh so free._

_No more pretending, no more holding back: she could be herself._

_The thought brought tears to her eyes, and she silently toasted to the newfound liberty, cursing under her breath when she rested her head on her hand, disturbing the bruise forming on her cheek; it didn’t put a damper on her happiness, however._

_But there was one thing that did._

_When she lifted her gaze to inspect the hall of the pub, her eyes clapped on an all-too-familiar head of black, luscious long hair._

_Her breath caught in her throat, and her heart thumped in her chest._

_Sirius, her Sirius was there, in the pub; well, maybe not exactly her Sirius, but she was head over heels in love with him, and thus overlooked the fact he’d been disowned and that he had abandoned her, still considering him her husband._

_To make matters worse, Lily and James were with him, and they’d seen her. Worst of all, they’d informed him, and he’d turned around fixing his stare on her: a forbidding, cold stare that chilled her to the bone, making her wish the ground would swallow her whole right then and there._

_Hiding was useless, they had seen her._

_Walking away made no sense, she had nowhere to go._

_It seemed she had no choice but to be subjected to whatever he chose, and he chose confrontation. Of course, she should have known: Sirius never backed down from a fight, not even in deadly situations._

_He probably thought she wanted to kill all of them; if only they knew how many times she’d put her life on the line to save theirs…_

_But that was a secret she intended not to tell a soul, ever._

_The sound of his steps, followed by the lovey-dovey couple, resounded in her ears despite the hullaballoo that surrounded them; she kept her head down, perhaps in a vane hope that they’d simply go away and leave her alone._

_She was so, so happy to see them: elated; thrilled; ecstatic; euphoric. However… She was terrified of what they would say, and what they would do. They would not physically hurt her, of that much was certain; but their words, their hatred, their disdain would be worse than whatever punishment her parents had ever inflicted her, because she cared about them, and she just wanted to love and be loved. Alas, it seemed her future would be filled only with black looks from those few people she held dear._

_The prospect sucked_

_Finally, they were in front of her._

_She concentrated on Sirius’s boots, not daring to lift her head: she knew one look would wound her mortally, worse than any knife or whip ever employed by her torturers_

_< <You are not welcome here>>_

_Just the sound of his voice made her shiver, but she pretended to be unaffected, and stayed silent_

_< <Why are you here?>>_

_Mh… What could she answer to that?_

_Taking a draught of butterbeer, she racked her brains in search of an answer_

_< <The pub isn’t yours, so you can’t tell me to go away; and I’m still a Hogwarts student, whether you like it or not>>_

_Good, just the right degree of scathing conceit; he scowled_

_< <We’re doing this outside>>_

_Nodding, she stood up slowly, adjusting her jacket, and walked out the backdoor without a fuss._

_The three friends followed silently_

_When they were out they cornered her; Lily and James had their wands at the ready, in case she tried something, even though it seemed she was just going to stand there and stare at them._

_In fact, Kiyrah was leaning against the wall, fiddling with the clasps and fiddles of her jacket out of nervousness, shifting her gaze from one of them to another; her face was expressionless, but her eyes spoke of terror, and anxiousness_

_< <What the hell are you wearing?>>_

_At that, she cocked an eyebrow, shrugging_

_< <Muggle clothing, why?>>_

_Sirius snorted_

_< <You? The holier-than-thou, blood purity fanatic Kiyrah Blackmour walking around in Muggle attire? Please._

_You’re out to get me >>_

_First jibe; she kept on the tough facade, but the chinks in her armour were getting progressively wider, and she knew she couldn’t hold on a lot longer, especially after being almost… Let’s not go there_

_< <A belated revenge, don’t you think? It’s been two years since you’ve last seen me>>_

_< <Or any of you psycho serpents; the best two years of my life>>_

_Second barb, even more harmful than the first._

_Her defences were giving way._

_She felt like a video game avatar, with the life-points bar hanging over her head, and Sirius was her opponent, destroying her relentlessly, but slowly._

_And it had only been a few minutes. The worst few minutes of her life_

_< <I will reiterate my question: what are you doing here, you bloody hellcat?>>_

_He was positively growling._

_She sunk further against the wall, if possible, begging for it to open up and take her away._

_Sure, she could apparate, but where?  
In Hogwarts? No way, the castle was impenetrable._

_In the Shrieking Shack? No, too close to the castle, not to mention it was Remus and the guys’ hiding place of choice…_

_Madam Puddifoot? Predictable, and Remus could be there, on a date, perhaps; the moon wasn’t full, so it was a possibility. Anyway, it was too close to the Three Broomsticks to even bother._

_The same went for any other shop in Hogsmeade._

_She was screwed_

_< <Answer me>>_

**§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§**

_Only then did she notice she had gone quite a while without speaking, too caught up in her thoughts. James, Lily and Sirius looked at her, suspicion prominent in their eyes; it hurt._

_She opened her mouth, but nothing came out; she couldn’t say anything, nothing at all._

_< <Answer me, dammit!>>_

_The fact that he was raising his voice did not help matters. Rather, it made things worse; a lot worse._

_Although she tended to be overwhelmed with emotions, very song emotions, Kiyrah was, normally, fairly collected and controlled; normally._

_Unfortunately, that day had been anything but normal for her, and she was frazzled._

_The weight of his absence, her sorrow, the pressure of her parents, their torture, her pretence, the avoided assault and so on… It all piled up, crumbling down on Kiyrah, submerging her in anguish and agony, raising her affliction to unbearable levels._

_She held herself up by some miracle, but she knew it was a precarious equilibrium: even a small gust of breeze would make her fall apart._

_Regrettably, Sirius was not feeling merciful in that moment; besides, he was blissfully unaware of her inner turmoil, as were Lily and James._

_The black-haired boy grunted with impatience, grabbed her forearm and tugged her toward him; bad move, very bad move._

_She screamed, terrified._

_Thank goodness, it wasn’t loud enough to catch anyone’s attention; he immediately let go, befuddled beyond compare._

_It was coming: a panic attack_

_Kiyrah’s eyes were glassy, and stared off into the void, leaning against a trashcan to keep herself upright, though she was swaying slightly. The three friends were growing more and more alarmed; Sirius even tried to get closer to her so he could help her, but she cried out again, and he retroceded._

_She was having trouble breathing steadily; it came out in strangled gasps, while she groped around in search for a sturdier crutch, feeling extremely lightheaded._

_Her vision was blurred, and she could only make out some human figures coming toward her; the thought triggered her, because her brain went back to the aggression she had been subjected to a few hours earlier, to the times her parents had massacred her, so she yelled at them to stay away, tears streaking down her face._

_Suddenly, she felt sick to her stomach and quickly uncapped the trashcan to relieve herself. Then everything went dark, and she fainted to the ground_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story is developed further in the next chapter


	14. Wasted On You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I don't need drugs  
> I'm already six feet low  
> Wasted on you  
> Waitin' for a miracle  
> I can't move on  
> Feels like we're frozen in time  
> I'm wasted on you  
> Just pass me the bitter truth
> 
> (Evanescence)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: mentions of abuse and mentions of attempted rape from the previous chapter.
> 
> In the previous one Kiyrah had been attacked by her intended husband, a son of Death-Eaters; she managed to fight him off. Then, after fleeing, she ran into Sirius, James and Lily and had a panic attack during their confrontation.
> 
> In this chapter Kiyrah reveals the reasons behind her actions, and explains what happened to her

_< <She needs air, you three. Let her breathe>>_

_Initially, the voices were confused and slurry, but after a few moments she could make out what they were saying; her eyes jutted open and were blinded by the lights, which made her groan in pain_

_< <She’s awake>>_

_< <Step away, she needs space>>_

_Whoever it was, he or she didn’t move away an inch, even though it was good advice. Kiyrah, in fact, was still shaken, and shrieked when she saw a shadow looming over her, so close to her_

_< <What did I tell you? Leave her alone! You’re going to make her lose consciousness again!>>_

_This time, the intruder did follow instructions, and Kiyrah relaxed visibly, enough to try to sit upright and take stock of the situation: she had been lying down on a couch somewhere… Where was she?_

_Her eyes fell on a butterbeer, and she remembered: The Three Broomsticks. She had gone there to avoid her parents, but had ended up running into-_

_< <Ah!>>_

_The mysterious figure next to her was Sirius: he was standing too close for comfort, though he was a good five feet away, and was watching her like a hawk, with a look filled with- No. Impossible._

_Concern?  
He was worried about her?  
Impossible: her mind was still playing tricks on her._

_She shook her head to clear her thoughts and took a look around. When she locked eyes with James and Lily she noticed that they, too, were looking at her with something akin to apprehension._

_Absurd; she must have hit her head in the fall._

_Hesitantly, she brought a hand to her head, prodding around to assess the damage: no tenderness. Good_

_< <How are you, darling?>>_

_Madame Rosmerta asked her, smiling affably. Relieved, almost touched to see a friendly face, Kiyrah smiled back_

_< <I’m ok; thank you for taking care of me>>_

_< <Oh, you’re welcome, Kay. Let me know if you need anything>>_

_< <What?!>>_

_Sirius cried out, discomfited. The girl winced, and Madame Rosmerta shot him a reproachful look_

_< <You’re scaring her>>_

_< <Sorry; I’m just shocked that you know her>>_

_< <Know her? She’s spent many a weekend helping me serve tables and clean around, for free. This girl is a sweet angel, and she’s always welcome here>>_

_The audience of three students gaped, while Kiyrah tentatively stood up, happy to see her balance was restored_

_< <Thank you for helping me, Rose>>_

_< <Don’t mention it, sweetie. Can I leave you with your friends now? My patrons are getting restless>>_

_The girl visibly cringed when the woman uttered the word “friends”, but pretended everything was ok_

_< <Sure, sure, but do you think we could get four butterbeers, extra spicy? We’re gonna need them>>_

_< <Of course, sweetie; I’ll bring them in here right away; you can rest for a while on the couch>>_

_< <I can come and get them->>_

_< <Nonsense, you need to rest. That was a very bad panic attack, sweetie; probably the worst I’ve ever witnessed. I’m surprised you’re up and about already>>_

_The girl laughed_

_< <What can I say? I’m made of sturdy stuff. How long was I out for?>>_

_< <Fifteen minutes>> Sirius filled in_

_< <Damn>> Kiyrah muttered, then smiled at Madam Rosmerta_

_< <Alright, Rose, I will rest. Thank you for everything, and for bringing me to your room>>_

_< <Oh sweetie, you’re very welcome; actually, Sirius over here carried you; I merely offered my room as accommodation>>_

_Now that was some news._

_Kiyrah looked at Sirius, perplexed; he held her gaze, steadily. His stare was so intense, so full of questions, that she surrendered immediately and turned away_

_< <Thank you, Rose>>_

_< <I’ll be right back with the butterbeers>>_

_< <Okay>>_

_As soon as the older woman was gone, the younger sprawled herself on the couch, taking deep breaths, in and out_

_< <What a day>>_

_< <Since when do you help Madam Rosmerta around?>>_

_Kiyrah groaned an looked at Sirius, scowling_

_< <I’ve been unconscious for a quarter of an hour, will you cut me some slack?>>_

_< <It seems to me you’re back to your usual, quarrelsome self>> He spat._

_At that point, Lily intervened_

_< <Come on, Sirius: she just had a very bad panic attack. Leave her alone>>_

_Ashamed, the boy faltered_

_< <I’m sorry, I just- I was worried and->>_

_< <You? Worried about me? Pshaw, don’t make me laugh>>_

_He narrowed his eyes but, just when he was about to retort, along came the patroness with their beverages, hot and spicy like Kiyrah has asked them. The girl offered to pay for everyone, but the woman turned down the offer, saying it was on the house, earning a bright smile from the four of them_

_< <There are also some chocolate bars; go to town>>_

_< <Thanks Rose, you’re always the best- ow>>_

_The bruise on her cheek, again._

_Rosmerta cradled her face in her hands to take a closer look, and frowned_

_< <You must have hit your face during the fall, sweetie>>_

_The imperceptible hesitation Kiyrah had in her reply was not as imperceptible as she thought; thankfully, the older woman was none the wiser, so she brushed it off with a smile_

_< <It’s a minor contusion, Rose: it’ll be gone in a few days. Thank you for the drinks, and the food; if you tell me how much it is, I->>_

_< <Aw, shucks: I told you, it’s on the house. Now I really need to get going>>_

_< <Bye>>_

_< <Bye>>_

_< <Bye>>_

_Finally, they were alone. Unable to resist, Sirius started questioning her_

_< <Why did you pass out when I grabbed your arm?>>_

_Kiyrah choked on her butterbeer, put it down and coughed. The boy scooted closer, patting her back softly, solicitously; however, she shooed him away when she calmed down._

_Could she tell them the truth?_

_Well, she’d already made a fool of herself, so why not?_

_< <My… My father always does that, when he…>>_

_< <When he what?>>_

_He pressed, panicked; he didn’t like where this was going_

_< <When he hits me>>_

_James and Lily froze._

_Sirius gulped_

_< <He abuses you?>>_

_She nodded slowly_

_< <My mother does, too. Though she prefers to use magic>>_

_He tried to grab her arm again, more delicately, and she let him_

_< <Kiyrah... I’m sorry. I had no idea...>>_

_< <I didn’t want you to know>>_

_He felt like an idiot. A complete, utter, huge ass._

_He didn’t know she had lived those horrors, just like himself. Of course she couldn’t tell him, because he never spoke to her if not to vituperate her_

_< <So, your parents… They are pretty much like mine>>_

_< <Yeah…>>_

_< <But I don’t understand… Why did you let us believe you were like them?>>_

_Silence met his words. He delicately brushed some strands out of her face, and saw tears running down her cheeks._

_His heart clenched._

_Why was she bawling? What had he done now?_

_< <Kiyrah?>>_

_She sobbed harder, hiding her face in her hands. Even Lily tried to soothe her, but to no avail_

_< <Sweetie, calm down. They’re not here>>_

_< <Not yet>>_

_< <What?>>_

_Finally, the girl removed her hands, showing them her tear-streaked face. Lily dried it off with a tissue, but she kept crying._

_It was heartbreaking to see her like that. They might have been upset, wounded too, but they understood there was a tragedy behind her behaviour, and this time, they would listen_

_< <They’ll come after me. They’re out to get me>>_

_< <You’re safe with us>>_

_< <No!>>_

_She was panicking again, and it wasn’t a good sign; her whole body trembled, and her cheeks were constantly wet_

_< <I don’t want you to save me, and get hurt in the process. I... I couldn’t stand it if something happened to any of you>>_

_< <Kiyrah…>>_

_< <I don’t want any of you to get hurt->>_

_He hugged her; Sirius was hugging her. She cried even harder, hugging him back, nuzzling against his chest_

_< <We want to help you>>_

_< <But I did all this so you would be left alone…>>_

_< <Wait a second…>> James stammered._

_Lily gawked. Sirius finished the sentence for them_

_< <You played the part of the heartless harridan just so we wouldn’t get attached and run some risks trying to help you?>>_

_Kiyrah nodded softly, still hiding in his arms. At that point, he hugged her tighter, stroking her head_

_< <You are crazy, Kay; absolutely bonkers>>_

_< <Yeah, you mentioned it once or twice>>_

_< <We’re sorry for treating you so bad, Kay>>_

_< <But we really had no idea>>_

_She smiled timidly, never letting go of Sirius_

_< <It’s okay; I did it for you>>_

_Smiling, Lily pecked Kiyrah’s cheek; unfortunately, it was the battered one_

_< <Ouch>>_

_Instantly, she was pulled away from the warmth of Sirius’s arms so they could inspect her face: the left cheek was slightly swollen, and bruised. That was no casualty: someone had hit her._

_The three friends frowned_

_< <Is this your father’s doing?>>_

_Sadly, Kiyrah couldn’t find the strength to lie. Just that once, she needed to let it all out._

_Sure, she’d confessed the truth to Sirius many times before wiping him again, but this was different: the situation had changed, forever, and she wanted someone to hold her as she weeped_

_< <No>>_

_< <Your mother’s?>>_

_< <No…>>_

_They were perplexed. Kiyrah, instead, was very uncertain…_

_< <Who hit you, Kay?>>_

_< <My new husband>>_

_Oh, she could have weighed her words better. Sirius pulled away like her touch scorched him, and the other boy gasped; even Lily was disconcerted. The poor girl wrung her hands, embarrassed_

_< <I- I didn’t want to get married; my parents, however, felt there was a need for me to wed again, to gain prestige and power, and to wash away the stain you left on our household’s honour when you ditched me, Sirius>>_

_He looked away, ashamed; her words had hit a nerve. He knew it wasn’t his fault, not entirely, but he felt like an idiot once again; a huge, huge asshole_

_< <They… They chose one of the Carrow boys>>_

_< <What?!>>_

_Even James was outraged_

_< <They would give their only daughter to those lunatics?>>_

_Kiyrah snorted_

_< <Nobody could treat me worse than my own parents do, James>>_

_Hearing those words, Sirius grabbed her hand, making her smile softly_

_< <Earlier today I was at dinner with them, in their manor. He- He offered to show me around. It was just the two of us; I kept him under control for a while, but then we reached the bedrooms…>>_

_None of her three companions liked where this was going, at all. Sirius squeezed her hand, and James took the other one; Lily patted her leg reassuringly; Kiyrah swallowed audibly, then kept talking_

_< <He… He locked me inside one of those rooms, tied my wrists, slammed me to the floor a- and tried to… He tried to…>>_

_For Godric’s sake, that was horrible._

_Instantly Sirius resumed the hug, running his hands down her back to calm her down. James and Lily were revolted, and concerned: she had been assaulted, and her parents wanted her to marry the guy? It was absurd_

_< <They stopped him, right? And called the thing off?>>_

_Kiyrah shook her head, as though what she was about to say were the most obvious thing ever_

_< <No one helped me: I had to fight him myself>>_

_< <I’m glad you’re ok, Kay>> Sirius whispered, kissing her forehead_

_< <He held a knife to my throat>> The girl blurted out, unable to stop herself; she seemed to have lost any filter of self-control, but she deserved to be indulged for that night, right? With the shitty day she’d just gone through…_

_< <WHAT?!>>_

_Sirius was livid. Lily and James were, too_

_< <HE DID WHAT?!>>_

_Shyly, hesitantly, the girl showed them her neck, where a fresh cut could be easily spotted just below her jaw._

_The boy holding her saw red; very few were the times when he’d wanted to hurt someone so badly._

_He’d woken up in the morning thinking Kiyrah was a spoiled brat without a soul or any morality, and now he found out that she was a “sweet angel”, as Madam Rosmerta had said, who sacrificed her life for them, was abused by her parents, and had been almost ravaged by the guy they had intended as her husband because he had jilted her!_

_He so wanted to tear her parents a new one; as for the boy who’d dared lay a finger on her… He would make him pay; that was a solemn promise._

_But that was not the time to plan revenge._

_Kiyrah needed him, and he had to be there for her._

_He still had one question, though…_

_< <So you managed to fight him off, and then? How did you escape?>>_

_< <I ran away>>_

_That was huge._

_However, their worry was annihilated by the smile on her face: it was the brightest she’d given them that evening_

_< <I should have done it sooner, but I wanted to protect you, since my parents threatened to kill you if I disobeyed. But after what happened today, I can’t and I won’t go back there; I’d rather die>>_

_She had done what he had done himself two years before; and she seemed so happy_

_< <Where do you live?>>_

_< <I don’t know, I guess I’ll have to book a room somewhere until I can find a job>>_

_< <You can come stay with me>>_

_Kiyrah gasped, looking up at him; then, suddenly, she shook her head_

_< <I was going to say “are you serious?” but we both know it wouldn’t be a good idea>>_

_The three cachinnated, shaking their heads in disbelief_

_< <You are one sly cupcake, Kiyrah>>_

_She grinned_

_< <I like that nickname, immensely>>_

_Sirius smiled, pecking her cheek_

_< <Come stay with me, at least until you find a place of your own>>_

_The girl bit her lip, looking away, embarrassed_

_< <That’d be incredibly awkward…>>_

_The three friends laughed, shaking their heads; Sirius cupped her chin in his hand, lifting her head up_

_< <We need to talk, Kay>>_

_< <We’ve done an awful lot of talking this evening; I told you things nobody knows about me>>_

_The boy frowned_

_< <If you want me to leave you alone just say so, Kiyrah>>_

_She sighed, leaning her head against his chest with closed eyes_

_< <I don’t want to get my hopes up just to have them shattered again, Sirius. I’m tired of fighting a losing battle>>_

_< <That’s how you see us? A losing battle?>>_

_He sounded miffed; good._

_Suddenly, she really wanted him to feel even a sliver of the pain he’d cost her; surely, that’d be more than enough to drive him bonkers_

_< <You abandoned me; my own husband abandoned me. And you cut off all ties; you never attempted to contact me in two years! Do you have any idea how much I missed you?!>>_

_Unable to help herself, Kiyrah began to repeatedly bang her clenched fist on his chest, but she had no strength left in her; the dreadful occurrences of the day had sapped her completely, and it was obvious her nerves were wracked. He decided to be the sensible one, for once, and grabbed her wrist, effectively quelling her attack; she put up no resistance._

_Seeing her like that, so vulnerable in his arms, spurred something within him, and he tilted his head to press his lips against hers. Her eyes were blown wide, a visible demonstration of how befuddled she was, but again, she offered no resistance, so he continued, reacquainting himself with her kiss; he found he had missed it more than he’d care to admit, and even more than he thought._

_When he pulled away, there was a smug smirk on his face_

_< <So… Will you come stay with me?>>_

_There was an unnerving pause, small as it was, during which he endeavoured to keep the confident facade._

_Inside, though, he was screaming: he’d just opened his heart and his house to a woman that was still a complete mystery to him. Wife or not, Death Eater or not, she held his heart in the palm of her hand, and he didn’t know if he liked that, yet._

_But it was worth a try…_

_Finally, her reply came. It was a silent one, however, because no words were spoken; he merely felt her arms slither around his neck and her plump lips on his own, with a passion he had forgotten but was very happy to rediscover. He met her touch for touch, sigh for sigh, moan for moan, losing conscience of time and place, until someone harrumphed from behind them_

_< <Guys, we get that you’ve just reunited and it’s awesome, but save this stuff for the honeymoon>>_

_Kiyrah observed him thoughtfully_

_< <We never actually had a honeymoon…>>_

_< <At least the wedding night was glorious>> The black-haired boy beside her bragged._

_She shrugged_

_< <Meh>>_

_At that, the redhead and her boyfriend burst into laughter, especially seeing the expression on their friend’s face._

_Sirius pulled Kiyrah in his lap, tickling her mercilessly_

_< <Excuse me? Meh?! You’re gonna take that back, dear, and you’re going to take it back now!>>_

_The girl squealed, giggling and chuckling_

_< <Never!>>_

_They played on the couch, laughing and shrieking, under the watch of their happy friends_

* * *

_< <Welcome to my humble abode>>_

_Sirius and Kiyrah were standing in front of his apartment door; he had managed to convince her to join him and, let’s be honest: she didn’t need that much persuasion_

_< <It’s kinda shabby, especially if you compare it to what you had before, but->>_

_She shushed him, smiling sweetly_

_< <There’s more love in here than in all the properties my parents possess>>_

_He grinned, pushed the key into the lock and opened up; before she could walk in, however, his arms sneaked around her waist, hoisting her up._

_As he knew she would, Kiyrah began thrashing, yelling_

_< <Put me down, imbecile! What are you doing?>>_

_< <Respecting tradition>> He replied simply, crossing the threshold while holding her close._

_Once it was done, and the door was closed, she crossed her arms and tapped her foot, irritated_

_< <You never listen to me>>_

_< <Oh, come on: it was the most romantic thing I’ve ever done, for anyone>>_

_With a resigned sigh, she shook her head, a small smile teasing her lips_

_< <You haven’t changed>>_

_< <I don’t know how to respond to that…>>_

_< <You don’t have to. Thank you, for letting me stay here>>_

_He smiled sheepishly_

_< <You’re my wife: I’m supposed to help you>>_

_Kiyrah cringed and walked to the couch, plonking down on it; she was closely followed by him. He rested a hand on her thigh, trying to soothe her nerves_

_< <We don’t have to talk about us right now; you’re too put out. I can wait>>_

_< <I can’t. I can’t bear to be here like this, with this tension, this awkwardness… And I know it is getting to you too>>_

_Unexpectedly, Sirius chuckled_

_< <You’ve always been too insightful, Kay; it gets frightening at times>>_

_< <I know, but that’s because being out in the open is scary, not because I possess some uncanny ability>>_

_< <That, too, but you have to admit it’s kinda freaky. And don’t lie: I can see how much you like it>>_

_His words caused her to chortle, a chuffed glow in her eyes, and in her smile_

_< <You’re right>>_

_< <Does it amaze you?>>  
<<No. But we’re getting out of topic>>_

_< <Yeah… It’s just…>>_

_< <It’s a big, hazy cloud of confusion, and you have no idea where to start; it’s okay, I don’t know either>>_

_On an impulse, he hugged her, squeezing her next to him; she leaned her head on his shoulder, exhaling slowly_

_< <I like your shirt, by the way>>_

_He cackled, pecking her forehead_

_< <Thanks>>_

_< <The Pink Floyd are a great band>>_

_< <You listen to their music?!>>_

_< <Yeah… My favourite song is “Comfortably Numb”>>_

_He scrunched his nose, thinking about the lives they had abandoned_

_< <It fits our family situation perfectly >>_

_< <It’s not “family”. It never was>>_

_< <But now it is>>_

_  
Those four words shocked her deeply, and she turned to look at him with tearful eyes_

_< <You… You think of us as a family?>>_

_He smiled sweetly, reaching outto wipe away the teardrops that were trickling down her cheeks, paying special attention to the beaten one; that, and the softness of his touch only made her cry harder_

_< <I… I meant the guys and I>>_

_She recoiled, furiously pawing at her face to dry the tears without much result, putting whatever distance she could between them; considering she was sitting in the corner of the couch, and the armrest blocked her escape, it wasn’t a lot; talk about being between a rock and a hard place…_

_< <Of course… I… I don’t know why I said that. It- It didn’t mean anything a->>_

_He silenced her with a kiss; it was careful, hesitant, but entirely sincere, and it stunned her into silence._

_< < You know James and Remus are my brothers in everything but blood->>_

_Not for long though_

_< <I do->>_

_Holding a finger to her lips Sirius smiled, brushing her hair out of her face_

_< <The guys and Lily are my family, Kay; but I never said you couldn’t be part of it>>_

_The hope blossoming in her eyes really took his breath away. She removed his finger with a trembling hand, and managed to murmur_

_< <You… You mean that?>>_

_< <Lily is part of the pack; you can join, too>>_

_< <But Lily’s James’s girlfriend. I’m not your girlfriend>>_

_He snorted_

_< <Technically, we’re married>>_

_< <Not anymore>>_

_His eyebrows rose on his forehead. Was that sensation he felt… Disappointment? It was so strong… He had no idea he would be so upset to hear those words from her; he really had no idea of just how bad he had it for her._

_And it made no sense! How could he love someone he hated? At least, that he thought he hated?_

_< <Alister and Cassiopeia decreed that our marriage is null, since you have been disowned by your family. I’ve been stupid enough to highlight this issue… Had I omitted it, I could have voided the arrangement with that snotty asshole>>_

_Sirius laughed; she cocked an eyebrow at him, but he just kept on laughing_

_< <You used a swear word! I never thought I’d hear you actually swear!>>_

_She joined him in his hysterics_

_< <I swear a lot>>_

_< <You swear, you listen to muggle music, you wear mundane clothes... What’s your favourite animal?>>_

_She grinned deviously_

_< <I do have a passion for wolves...>>_

_He eyeballed her with outrage_

_< <You jackanapes! Take that back!>>_

_< <Ok, ok... I really, really like dogs>>_

_< <Much better>>_

_< <Black dogs, in particular>>_

_< <Where have you been all my life?>>_

_He was joking, and she knew that, but that comment really put a damper on the up-to-then light mood_

_< <Hiding...>>_

_The boy just hugged her, nuzzling his face in her hair_

_< <And now I found you>>_

_She buried her face in the crook of his neck_

_< <Thank you>>_

_< <You’re welcome. Now... What were you saying about our marriage?>>_

_< <That those dingbats thought your flight had invalidated it, so I could become the trophy wife of another snotty noble>>_

_< <I’m so happy you fled>>_

_< <Me too. My parents... Not so much>>_

_< <They won’t find you here>>_

_< <Oh, they will. I know they will. But if they just try to lay a finger on you...>>_

_He felt, rather than saw, her scowl._

_Her protectiveness touched him, and he couldn’t help but grin like an idiot_

_< <Darling, forget about them. Focus on me>>_

_< <What about you?>>_

_< <I want you in my life, I really do>>_

_Hearing that, she popped her face out of her hiding place and kissed his chin_

_< <Right back to you>>_

_< <Will you stay here with me, then?>>_

_< <As your...>>_

_< <Girlfriend>>_

_Kiyrah beamed, making him laugh_

_< <We’ll see where it gets us, ok?>>_

_She nodded ecstatically, and he laughed even harder_

_< <You look elated>>  
<<I am>>_

_Snickering, he lay down, bringing her along; she rested her chin on his chest, smiling at him._

_< <I’m so sorry I ruined our marriage>>_

_He pecked her forehead_

_< <Hush, darling; it wasn’t a proper marriage to begin with, and I should have at least tried to get to the bottom of this mess>>_

_< <I intended for you not to…>>_

_< <About that, darling; you must stop with the solitary act. Friends protect each other>>_

_< <You’re a lot more than a friend to me, Sirius>>_

_That earned her a kiss_

_< <I was speaking in broad terms>>_

_< <Fine. But you would do anything for James, Lily, and Remus, right?>>_

_He nodded, but then added_

_< <For you, too>>_

_That comment made her blush scarlet; he thought she looked adorable_

_< <Would you abandon them, if your family was after them because of you?>>_

_< <Yes, but I’m sure they would know something is up, and try to dissuade me from… Oh>>_

_< <What?>>_

_< <I’m _ _digging my own grave >>_

_She flinched_

_< <Don’t say that>>_

_< <I should have been there for you>>_

_< <You were; I pushed you away>>_

_< <I should have at least tried>>_

_< <You did, love. But that just meant I had to push you away harder>>_

_< <I’m not going to let you do it again>>_

_She smiled brightly, leaning down to kiss him. They stayed like that for a while, with each other’s arms wrapped around one another, until they fell asleep_


	15. I Will Drive You Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> But I will drive you home  
> I want you to know that  
> I will drive you home
> 
> (Bon Jovi)

<<So… What happens next?>>

Kiyrah sighed happily, leaning against him

<<We started living together; officially>>

Sirius smirked at her, wrapping an arm around her waist

<<You had to pay rent somehow>>

She swatted him on the arm, chuckling

<<You’re an idiot. Anyway…>>

He noticed the sudden change in her mood, and gathered it was caused by something major, so he pulled her even closer, silently encouraging her to tell him everything; hiding her face in the crook of his neck, she did

<<It was heavenly, until our last day at school>>

He tensed, knowing already what would happen; and in fact…

<<My parents obviously knew I would be there, and so would you and the guys. They hired some idiots to do the dirty work… Luckily, I found them before they could get at you, and defeated them, wiping their memory permanently>>

<<You seem to have difficulties breaking that habit>> He attempted a joke, but it was forced, as was her laugh after

<<Nothing happened, but I freaked out: it was a brutal reminder of the reason why I had rejected you in the first place. I felt incredibly frustrated, because I had been an idiot to let it out again, and because I had to abandon you all once more… It was so much more painful than before. I was finally part of the pack… You trusted me, and we were happy… But those bastards had to ruin everything>>

She was crying, again.

He stayed silent, simply holding her as she gave vent to her pain

<<I stayed the whole day with you, all of you, to make sure they left you alone. When we went away, I insisted on sleeping all in the same house, you know… Nostalgia and stuff; you were all on board>>

He chortled softly, but the atmosphere was still too tense for laughter to be authentic and relaxed

<<That evening… We slept together in a room inside the house we had rented, somewhere in Hogsmeade. That evening… You knocked me up>>

Some more tears fell from her eyes; he wiped all of them, smiling at her sympathetically, but she kept crying, even harder

<<The next morning I went away, leaving no trace of my permanence there: your memories were twisted, my things all gone… Although I did steal your leather jacket; I still have it, somewhere in my room>>

<<You can keep it, darling, I think it suits you better>>

<<But you’ve never seen me wear it…>>

<<I’m sure it fits you very well>>

A small smile appeared on her lips, and she hugged him, weeping still

<<Will you ever be able to forgive me, sweetheart?>>

<<Kiyrah, look at me>>

He pulled away to be eye to eye; she observed him carefully, fear in her gaze. Instantly, his hand reached up to cup her cheek, and he gave her a reassuring smile

<<You have nothing to ask forgiveness for. What you did for me, for us… It was more than I ever thought to be worth.

I’m the first one who knows how hard it is to live in that kind of environment, and I did have fights with my parents concerning the people I hung out with; they did threaten my friends, just like yours, so I understand perfectly. Actually, I want to thank you, for everything you did for me, for Remus, for Harry…>>

<<I hate that they’re gone; I couldn’t even fix things with them>>

<<I hate it too, love. But I’m sure they know who you really are, wherever they are now>>

She smiled and kissed him; his face got wet in the process, but he didn’t care

<<You’re welcome, love>>

<<Is there anything else you want to talk about?>>

That question was not casual, and they both knew it: he wanted to talk about the triplets, about whether and how to reveal just how closely related they were. Kiyrah took a deep, deep breath and let it out through her nose, pulling herself together

<<I suggest we get dressed, go to the kitchen, eat something, preferably some sweets, and we’ll discuss about the kids>>

He broke into a huge grin at her words

<<It’s the first time you called them that>>

<<They are _our_ children, Pads. What am I supposed to call them?>>

<<That. Just… Just keep saying it; it’s absolutely wonderful>>  
She giggled, pecking his cheek

<<I always knew you would have been a good dad>>

<<That’s what I wanted all along; a real family>>

<<You have it now. Let’s go to the kitchen, shall we?>>

<<Alright; but I’m calling dibs on the chocolate>>

<<There’s enough of that to feed an army; it won’t be a problem>>

<<Good>>

<<Just so you know, I’d win anyway>>

<<Keep telling yourself that, woman>>

* * *

<<So… You want to tell them you’re their father>>

Sirius nodded, taking a bite out of the chocolate bar Kiyrah had dug out for him from a cabinet that she’d stuffed with treats. He had laughed at the sight, remarking on how spending too much time with Remus had rubbed off on her

<<We’ve only seen each other during his year at Hogwarts. Sure, we met daily, but it was just one year>>

<<One year is a long time, Kay>>

<<Yeah… We became good friends>>

<<How much does he know about us?>>

She plonked down on a chair, nibbling at her meringue

<<He knows the triplets are yours… But he doesn’t know to what extent he is involved in this story, and neither why I pushed you away. We never really talked about you then, you know… He still thought you were guilty>>

<<I have to be honest, dear; I resent that he spent more time with my own children than I did>>

Kiyrah cast her head downward, ashamed

<<I know, Sirius. I couldn’t tell you though: you would have never trusted me with the chaos of those years, when everyone was diffident even with close friends, as you well know. And then…>>

She broke off, bringing a hand to her mouth: talking about his sojourn in prison always broke her.

He took her other hand, and she gave him a sad smile

<<Then you were thrown into that hellish place, and I knew then that whatever hope I had of building a family with you was gone with your freedom. But I never, ever believed you were guilty of what you had been accused of>>

<<I’m thankful for that, love. Where were you when I snuck into the Shrieking Shack?>>

<<Inside the castle, hiding with the kids>>

That hurt him very, very much. He bit his lip and looked away to hide how deeply her words wounded him, but she knew; she squeezed his hand before he could retract it, and pulled him closer

<<I wasn’t afraid you would harm them, darling; I only wanted you to find out in a calmer setting, that’s all. As for me… I was sure you would have snapped upon seeing me, but I never thought you would hurt me>>

<<I’m not an assassin, Kiyrah>>

She smiled timidly

<<I fought against the whole wizarding world for you, Sirius. I, of all people, know that>>

He relaxed visibly, and actually smiled at her

<<Thank you. I have another question though>>

<<Tell me>>

<<Did you ever tell Harry about me?>>

<<No… He was just a child, darling. It was too soon.  
When you came to the castle… I didn’t know how to broach the subject with him, so I decided to let him be: he’d find out the truth anyway. I did, however, have a lengthy… Discussion, so to say, with Remus, after he discovered who the actual rat was>>

Both seethed at the mention of Peter, but brushed it off for the sake of their conversation

<<You almost hexed Moony, am I right?>>

<<Kind of; I threw it in his face, with vehemence, that I was right and he was wrong. At the beginning, I was so upset with him… Then I realised his situation was similar to mine, in a way, and I could see where he was coming from. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve always believed in your innocence, but in that context… He was hurt, and he could trust no one. He’s a good guy, and we both know it>>

He nodded

<<So Harry doesn’t know about us? About our kids?>>

<<No; he’s as clueless as his father was, and he never asked me about the triplets’ father. Neither did the kids>>

<<They said it was painful for you to recall those memories>>

<<Oh, it was. I tried not to let it show because they didn’t deserve it, but I guess it got the best of me, sometimes… Especially looking at Marley>>

He laughed, thinking back to the day he and the girl in question had had their first face-off

<<That kid is pure fire… I don’t know how you managed not to go crazy, raising them on your own>>

<<Minerva helped me, a lot; so did the other professors, now and then>>

<<Do you call her “mom”?>>

Kiyrah blushed, giggling nervously

<<I did, a few times… She’s more of a mother to me than Cassiopeia ever was, or will ever be>>

<<We had very shitty parents, yes… But we’ll be better than them>>

<<Yes, without a doubt. You know… I think we could break the news to them tomorrow morning>>

He flinched, clearly unprepared

<<So soon?>>

She chuckled

<<You’re never gonna be ready for this, love; you might as well wing it>>

He suddenly grew very quiet, and shifted his gaze away from hers.

Kiyrah grew concerned, very much so

<<Love, what is it?>>

He spoke with a cracking, feeble voice, so unbecoming for him that it made her shiver…

<<Do you… Do you think they will accept me?>>

It came out as a plea, so broken that she felt tears pool in her eyes. Without wasting a second, she stood up and rushed to hug him, pouring all her love into that hug

<<I have absolutely no doubt they will, Padfoot. They _adore_ you already; I noticed the connection that’s risen between the four of you>>

He tentatively sneaked his arms around her. She tightened her grip on him, to signal he could go on with what he was trying to do, and he did, squeezing her incredibly tight

<<What if they think I abandoned them?>>

<<I will be right there, my love, to help you explain the truth. Anyway, they’re very mature, despite being your children: they will understand>>

Her attempt to lighten the mood worked, and he pinched her butt, grumbling

<<I’m not immature>>

The woman let out a belly laugh, happy that he was back to his playful self

<<You are a large child, my darling. Off to bed now, come on>>

<<Do me a favour?>>

<<What?>>

<<Carry me; I’m tired>>

She cachinnated, incredulous but incredibly amused.

In the end, she did carry him to the bedroom; and he fought it, just like she would when he tried to do it

* * *

<<Kay?>> He murmured against her shoulder, moments from falling asleep.

Drowsily, the woman hummed questioningly, not moving a muscle

<<Thank you, for everything. I love you>>

At his declaration, she did turn around, a huge smile on her lips

<<You’re welcome, darling. I love you too, so much>>

Before giving in to the lulling call of the pillows, they shared a kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter cause in the next one there will be a big revelation


	16. Every Time I Look at You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> But every time I look at you  
> No matter what I'm going through, it's easy to see  
> And every time I hold you  
> The things I never told you, seem to come easily  
> Because you're everything to me  
> Yeah, yeah
> 
> (KISS)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: mentions of abuse and mentions of attempted rape (just mentions). This chapter is a storytelling one

The next morning Sirius got up incredibly early, waking up Kiyrah too, and began pacing back and forth in the room, stressing out.

The woman, still lying on the mattress, shook her head with an amused smirk

<<You’ll wear the floor if you go on like this>>

Not even turning around to look at her, he shrieked

<<I’m panicking here! You’re supposed to be working with me, Kay>>

<<I am! I’m telling you to calm down>>

He gave her an annoyed glare

<<Thank you; you’re officially the worst wife ever>>

She blushed, biting on the tip of her thumb

<<I’m not your wife, Sirius>>

<<Aw, shucks; you are, because we never had a proper divorce, and the fact those two psychopaths disowned me doesn’t affect our married status>>

The grin on her face made him laugh, in spite of everything he was feeling

<<You look ridiculous>>

<<My husband just shouted that our marriage is still valid; how could I be unhappy?>>

<<Can we get back to my problem, Kiyrah?>>

<<There is no problem, my love. Now, we’re gonna change and meet those pests for breakfast, ok?>>

<<I can’t tell them sitting at a table full of people!>>

<<Fine! But Harry must be there, and Remus, too>>

<<Why?>>

<<Harry’s my son, just like Evan and James are; he already sees you as a father figure, so I don’t see any problem>>

<<Ok. You know I love Moony, but this is very, very personal…>>

She got off the bed with a shrug, throwing her hair into an impromptu bun

<<I bet you’ll just blurt it out as soon as you see them, Padfoot>>

<<Give me some credit>>

<<Ok… Five minutes later>>

<<You imp!>>

Snickering, the woman pressed a kiss to his lips, while he loured at her

<<You love me anyway>>

<<Damn, I really do>>

* * *

Finally, when they were both ready, she tugged him out of the door, and they descended the flight of stairs to reach the kitchen, where everyone -really _everyone_ \- was having breakfast.

Sirius gulped when his eyes clapped on the three siblings. He had never felt so much like an idiot as he did in that moment, looking at Marlene’s hair or the way the pewter colour of her eyes caught the light coming from the candles, or the fiendish grins on James and Evan’s faces; it was so obvious, and yet… He had not noticed a thing.

Way to go, Sirius; way to go.

Luckily, they had seen him, and immediately ran to hug him good morning

<<Hi!>>

<<Good morning!>>

<<Did you have a good beauty sleep last night?>>

He laughed at Evan’s joke, looking at Kiyrah beside him

<<Your mother doesn’t seem to think I need any>>

She blushed and slapped his arm, to which he responded by kissing her cheek. The three gaped

<<Oh Godric>> Marlene managed to utter.

James and Evan stuttered

<<Are you two… Together?!>>

The last word caught everyone’s attention -as though the lovey-dovey attitude they had with one another hadn’t already- and many pairs of eyes fixed on them. With nonchalance, he wrapped an arm around her waist while grinning smugly, delighting in the look of agitation in her eyes

<<We have sorted out our differences, so yes, we are. After all, every marriage has obstacles; isn’t that right, Kay?>>

<<YOU’RE MARRIED?!>> The three cried out in unison.

Kiyrah glared at him

<<You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?>>

He snickered, pecking her forehead

<<Immensely>>

<<Asshole>>

<<Mom!? Do you have to tell us something?>>

She swallowed thickly, forcing a smile on her face

<<Marly… Why don’t you and your brothers follow us in the living room? We need to talk>>

Then, she instantly turned toward Fred and George, threateningly hissing

<<No eavesdropping whatsoever! Do I make myself clear?>>

Actually intimidated, the twins replied in unison

<<Yes ma’am!>>

At that, Kiyrah laughed, walking toward them to pat their shoulders

<<You’re good kids; I’m glad Marley’s with you, Fred>>

The boy blushed, smiling sheepishly at the woman

<<Thanks…>>

<<Mom! Let’s go>>

<<NOW>>

She rocketed next to her children, and they were about to leave, until both Sirius and Kiyrah fixed their eyes on Harry

<<I meant _all_ brothers, Harry>>

The grin on the boy’s face warmed their hearts to no end; he got in line with his siblings and joined the two adults in the living room, curious as to why they’d been summoned like that. His godfather seemed anxious, and so did his adoptive mother…

<<Alright->> Marlene began, crossing her arms and furrowing her brows while standing in front of her mother

<<Explain>>

The woman chuckled nervously, pointing at a chair beside the couch where she took place next to Sirius

<<Have a seat, kids>>

<<We want to know what you were talking about!>>

<<And we’re going to tell you; as soon as you take a seat>>

Huffing, the triplets obeyed

<<Fine; now what?>>

Kiyrah took Sirius’s hand and harrumphed, beginning her story

<<We are married, it’s true; we’ve been for almost twenty years>>

That announcement caused all four teenagers to widen their eyes the size of saucers, and gape

<<Are you kidding me?>>

<<No…>>

<<Your mother is telling the truth: she is my wife>>

James stammered, befuddled

<<Why… Why didn’t you tell us?!>>

<<Well, you see->>

<<No, we don’t! That’s the bloody point!>>

<<Marlene, calm down. As I was saying, our marriage has been a real rocky road, and at one point I almost married another man because it seemed it was actually over; thank Godric I didn’t>>

<<Another man?!>>

<<We knew nothing about this!>>  
<<One would think you, our mother, would tell us something so important like whether or not you are married to some guy!>>

Sirius felt Kiyrah tense up more and more as time went by and the triplets hurled accusation after accusation at her; finally, she exploded

<<I didn’t tell you anything because it is a part of my past I want to forget, ok? I’m perfectly aware it will never fully go away, but I can try to ignore it, at least!>>

The sad, anguished tone of their mother’s voice brought the triplets into line. After a little silence Evan inquired, softly

<<Why… Why do you want to forget it, mom? If we’re allowed to know, that is>>

She sighed, but smiled gratefully at Sirius when he squeezed her hand to comfort her, and planted a kiss on his cheek. The triplets were caught off guard, but not surprised at all, nor irked by the scene… They’d always known those two had something going on: when they were close, sparks would fly. Quite frankly, the idea of Sirius as their stepfather was a very tempting perspective…

<<My parents are evil people: they abused me>>

Silence; one could have heard a pin drop.

Four desolated pairs of eyes fixed on her, concern etched on their owners’ faces

<<Mine, too>> Sirius added. They looked at him like that as well, and he was glad to see they were worried about him

<<Wait; you mean granny Minnie is not your mother?>>

Sirius laughed

<<Granny Minnie… This is gold>>

<<No, she isn’t; she took me in when I was almost eighteen>>

<<She is the best>> Marlene declared; Kiyrah smiled

<<Yes, she is>>

<<What about your real parents instead, mom?>>

<<They compelled me to marry him when I was fifteen>>

The teens were horrified

<<Are they from the Middle Ages or what?!>>

Both adults snorted

<<They could be… Anyway. We got married really young, but I did love this idiot, very much>>

He cackled, pulling her closer

<<I loved you too, you know that>>

<<Yes, yes I do>>

<<But… If you were in love, why did you get a divorce?>>

Came James’s innocent, lily-white question; the reasoning was stringent, but the explanation, unfortunately, wouldn’t be…

<<We didn’t actually get a divorce. I ran away when I was sixteen, and my parents disowned me; my in-laws were, naturally, outraged and miffed, so they called the whole thing off and tried to marry her off to another noble>>

Kiyrah shuddered

<<That slimy bastard… He’s nightmare material>>

The man sitting beside her observed her with concern

<<You didn’t have nightmares about him though, did you?>>

<<No, thank Godric>>

<<Wait, I don’t get it…>>

Evan interrupted, looking at Sirius

<<You abandoned mom? Even though you said you loved her?>>

It was Sirius’s turn to stiffen; Kiyrah came to the rescue

<<He didn’t abandon me. I… I made him leave>>

<<What?! Why?>>

<<My parents threatened to kill him if I didn’t obey>>

<<Why did you have to rebel?>>

Kiyrah gritted her teeth, unable to look her children in the face

<<They are You-Know-Who’s acolytes…>>

Even Harry was horrified; Kiyrah rushed to add more

<<His parents were, too, but we aren’t! We are as far from being his followers as possible, you know it! We are members of the Order, and we looked after Harry! How could we be on his side?>>

The man next to her gently stroked her back, trying to soothe her

<<Darling, I’m sure they don’t think that of us>>

  
Unexpectedly, the reply they were looking for came from Harry, who smiled at Kiyrah and Sirius

<<Not at all; we know you are not. Right, guys?>>

Immediately, the triplets chorused

<<Of course>>

<<We’d never dream of it, mom>>

She seemed extremely relieved, and finally managed to smile

<<So… Our grandparents are still alive, and they are Death Eaters?>>

<<Yes>>

<<They blackmailed you into obedience by holding Sirius’s safety against you?>>

<<Yes>>

<<They were incredibly shitty parents, weren’t they?>>

The woman scoffed

<<They were _not_ parents, at all>>

<<You’re amazing, mom; know that>>

<<Thank you, sweetie. You do understand why I sent him away, don’t you?>>

<<To protect him>> Answered Marlene, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world; Sirius rolled his eyes

<<It took me a lot longer to understand it… Shame on me>>

His wife teased him

<<You saw the light, in the end>>

<<Oh, yes. Thank you, love>>

They were about to kiss, when four cough sounds interrupted them

<<I don’t mean to be rude, but could you suck faces later? We want to know how the story ends>>

He snorted

<<You have a cheek>>

<<I have two>>

<<Okay! Back to what I was saying… Two years after Mr Ideal Husband over here -that nickname earned her a pinch, which made her wince, prompting laughter from their small audience- left, your grandparents felt the need to arrange another marriage for me, but they chose a very crappy guy>>

<<He assaulted your mother>>

Kiyrah looked him askance, but he shrugged

<<It’s the truth, dear>>

Worried, she inspected her four children, to find revolt carved on their features

<<HE DID WHAT?!>>

<<He tried to, sweetheart; I ripped him a new one before he could actually do it>>

<<Still, he deserves a slow, painful torture>> Her daughter hissed, slitting her eyes

<<I totally agree>>

<<Sirius! Now it’s not the time>>

<<I won’t take it back>>

<<Marly’s right, mom; he deserves to pay>>

<<And he will, but now, let’s move on… I escaped the aggression, and ran away. That evening, I met this guy -she indicated Sirius again- at The Three Broomsticks; after an initial fight, we made up, and I started to live with him. We were happy>>

He enveloped her in his arms and tugged her on his lap, cradling her so she could be comfortable

<<We were very happy… Until my parents found us again, and sent an assassin to get rid of him; I stopped the attack, but left immediately afterwards, for fear my presence would entail more aggressions. That was the last time we saw each other, before the reunion a few days ago>>

<<And now you made up>>

They two spouses laughed

<<Yeah, you could say that>>

James, Evan and Marlene grinned from ear to ear

<<I’m glad you’re part of our family>>

<<Me too>>

Sirius looked ecstatic; until Marlene spoke

<<That makes you our stepfather, you know that?>>

Silence met her words. It lasted long enough for a sheen of worry to corrode their happiness

<<Do you… Do you not->>

<<Of course I want to>>

<<Then… Why are you so tense?>>

With one last glance toward his wife, Sirius gathered enough courage to respond

<<Because I’m not simply your stepfather, Marlene>>

The girl seemed puzzled; so were her brothers

<<Then what… What are you?>>

Kiyrah squeezed his hand, and he blurted out

<<I’m your father>>

Now they were the mute ones. It took a little to click into place, during which Sirius was trembling with anxiousness

<<Oh, sure, we’ll call you dad, it’s not a problem…>>

<<Yeah, we’ll get used to it, after a while…>>

<<You don’t understand>> He ground out, growing steadily more disquieted

<<Then what->>

<<I am your biological father>>

Their jaws slackened, and they turned to look at Kiyrah, in search for answers; she merely nodded

<<It’s true; he is your father>>

They were positively petrified: not a sound, not a word, not a move; nothing.

Both parents were about to lose it, but they knew they’d done the right thing: it wasn’t good to hide it from them, especially if they planned on forming a family. Unfortunately, it didn’t seem like they would be getting feedback anytime soon…

<<WHAT!?!>>

Or maybe they were.

All three siblings had stood up, shock clearly written on their faces; Harry, too, was staring at his mother in bewilderment

<<I’m sorry you had to find out like this, but we->>

<<WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL US!?>>

<<He didn’t know>> She stated. Sirius confirmed

<<I found out a few days ago>>

<<YOU MEAN THAT YOU KNEW OUR FATHER WAS ALIVE ALL THIS TIME AND YOU KEPT IT FROM US, MOM?!>>

<<HOW COULD YOU?!>>

<<WE DESERVED TO KNOW!>>

<<STOP SHOUTING!>> Kiyrah finally hollered, unable to hold back any longer. The whole room was taken aback at her outburst, so she stood up and went on undisturbed

<<Do you think it was easy for me? It was not! Not at all! I wanted to tell you, but you were just kids… Not to mention there was Harry, and I would have had to describe to him everything that happened that fateful night at his house, and then afterwards…

How could I broach the subject? Could you imagine having to explain to your children, whom you love more than your own life, that their father not only doesn’t know about them because of two lunatics who wanted to do him in, but would be rotting in hell on earth for crimes he didn’t commit his whole life so they would never, ever meet him? What would you do? What would you say?>>

She took a deep breath and continued, a little calmer

<<I didn’t tell you because I thought that was the best thing to do: I didn’t know how he would react if he were to find out, and I wanted to spare you any pain. Now, we’ve talked, and we’ve decided to inform you, because you deserve to know…

You are of age, you can live alone if you don’t accept it, but I’m not going to leave him again. I’m not chasing you away; I’m just saying that we deserve to be happy, too.

Everything I ever did, I did it for you. As for your father… I know for sure he’s had your best interest at heart from the moment he learned you are his children; probably even earlier>>

Sirius rose to his feet, too, and enveloped her in a hug

<<That’s true. As she said, I’m not going to leave her again; but I would really, really appreciate it if you could accept this. Even simply acknowledging it would be a step forward->>

He stopped talking the second Marlene had thrown herself at them; James and Evan followed suit, joining the hug

<<We know that, mom… And dad>>

He stopped cold; his breath hitched in his throat.

Kiyrah was crying, and he could feel tears prickling in his own eyes…

<<Say it again>>

The triplets tilted their head in his direction, looking at him

<<Say it again, please>> He practically begged.

With huge, identical grins, they said it in unison

<<Hi, dad>>

Unable to hold back any more he pulled them closer and wrapped them in a bone-crushing hug, along with their mother. After years of suffering, of solitude and guilt, he finally felt complete. Kiyrah had initiated his recovery, but the triplets… They had really healed him, perhaps for good.

Although, there was something missing, still…

<<Where are you going, young man?>>

Kiyrah’s voice stopped Harry right before he could open the door

<<I… I didn’t want to disturb you; it’s a family moment>>

<<Exactly -Sirius intruded- a family moment; you are part of this family>>

The boy’s eyes actually twinkled

<<Really?>>

<<Get your ass over here, Potter>> Marlene chastised; the rest of the gang laughed.

Harry scurried toward them, and they moved to grant him some space in the huge net of arms and legs

<<You _are_ part of this family, Harry; don’t ever, ever doubt it>>

<<Thank you, mom>>

Kiyrah smiled, ruffling his hair.

Sirius actually thought he was dreaming; if he was, though, he didn’t want to wake up: it was the happiest he’d felt in a long time, and it was wonderful. Absolutely breathtaking.

Suddenly, a swat to the head brought him back down to Earth

<<I see you, Mister. No, you’re not dreaming; it’s all true. We have three perfect, incredibly difficult teenage sons and an equally perfect, perhaps even more unmanageable teenage daughter, and we’re married; you’re stuck with us for life>>

He snickered

<<I seem to go from prison to prison…>>

She gasped, scandalised

<<You crook! You are an absolute ro->>

He silenced her with a kiss, much to their children’s chagrin. When they pulled away, he smirked at her

<<You know you love me>>

With a huge smile, she admitted

<<Dammit, I do>>

<<It’s ok, darling; I love you too>>

<<I’m going to feel sick!>>

<<Aw, come on! Stop being such a baby>>

<<You’d better get used to this, guys; you’re gonna see this a lot more often from now on>>

<<Great; just great>>

<<You took the words right out of my mouth>>

<<Ew no; I’ll let mom do that>>

<<Gladly>>

Kiyrah sniggered and leaned toward her husband, pressing her lips against his; the “ew”s that it elicited from their kids only made them smile even more

* * *

Outside the room, Remus was waiting for them; as soon as the family of six exited, he smiled at them.

Kiyrah bounded toward him with open arms, wrapping them around him as soon as he was within hugging distance

<<You did it, Kay; I had no doubt you could>>

<<UNCLE REM-REM!>>

<<YOU KNEW, TOO?!>>

<<Yes, I did; stop shouting>>

<<But why?>>

<<Mom, who else knew?>>

Kiyrah thought for a moment, before replying

<<Well, your grandmother, obviously; Tonks, too, as well as anyone with working brain cells>>

The last comment made the two Marauders laugh

<<We have working brain cells, and we didn’t know!>>

<<Oh, right; sorry>>

<<It’s ok->>

<<Anyone with _enough_ working brain cells>>

The triplets gaped; Harry snickered; Sirius and Remus just lost it, while Kiyrah gloated

<<That was just mean!>>

She snorted

<<You should know me by now, kiddos>>

<<We do! You’re thinking about breakfast right now>>

The woman giggled, nodding

<<As you are, I know>>

<<Yes! Bye!>>

As they skedaddled into the kitchen, with Harry tailing behind them, the three adults regarded them with fondness

<<I can’t believe I’m a father; finally>>

<<It’s all true, darling>>

<<But it feels like a dream; a dream I don’t deserve>>

<<You deserve everything good in the world, my love>>

<<About that -Remus interrupted, turning toward his friend- I wanted to tell you, again, I’m sorry for misjudging you, back then. The fact that your allegedly Death-Eater sympathiser wife endorsed your innocence should have really been a wakeup call for me, but I didn’t even budge; I’m sorry, Padfoot>>

Sirius patted him on the shoulder, smiling affably

<<It’s behind us, Moony. I, too, should apologise for mistrusting you and thinking you were a spy>>

<<It’s alright, Padfoot>>

They shared a hug, and Remus went back to the kitchen, leaving the two alone

<<Are you happy, darling?>>

He grabbed her by the hips and dipped her, leaning so his mouth was mere inches from hers

<<Immensely, my love>>

As they kissed, Kiyrah non-too-subtly flipped the bird to the empty, ruined part of the wall where the former Mrs. Black’s painting used to hang; her husband found it incredibly romantic- and hot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remus knew, but he did not know the exact story; he just knew the triplets were Sirius's -which should be evident in itself


	17. Devil's Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I know the only words that you have for me  
> Are "give up and get out"  
> You'd like to think that we've been beaten  
> But we're here to stay  
> Forever and always
> 
> (Motionless in White)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: mentions of smut, but nothing graphic (just hints, though the two lovebirds tend to get a little frisky...)

<<Bored, sweetheart?>>

Sirius was huffing and puffing in his bed, rolling around as he tried to think of something to do; his wife peeked in from the door, smiling amusedly when she spotted him

<<I’ll take that as a yes>>

<<I’m bored out of my mind!>>

<<I know, honey: you’ve said that every single day since the kids have left for Hogwarts>>

<<How do you handle this dullness? This monotony?>>

She shrugged

<<No day is monotonous when you’re with me, darling>>

That startled him out of his snappy attitude; he turned toward her, ashamed

<<I’m sorry, love; I didn’t mean to lash out at you>>

The woman walked into the room, sitting on the mattress beside him

<<I know, love: you’re just upset at being stuck in here all the time, and you’d like to help more>>

He chuckled, softly pinching her cheek

<<You do have an uncanny ability, darling>>

<<Nah, you’re just an open book>>

<<I prefer my theory>>

<<Keep telling yourself that, Black>>

<<Do not use that surname as an insult: it is yours, too, and our children’s>>

She suddenly seethed, clenching her fists

<<It is an insult in itself, Sirius: your pedigree may be one-hundred-percent magical, but it is mostly made up of spiteful crones and power-hungry idiots>>

<<You’re the one to talk>>

At that, they laughed together

<<Anyway, I’m making lunch; think you’ll manage to get your perky little ass out of bed in time?>>

He snickered, purring

<<I didn’t know you liked my ass, darling>>

<<Your whole persona is an ass, my dear; I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t>>

At that, the man glared at her playfully

<<That was uncalled for, and I demand compensation>>

Standing up, Kiyrah began walking toward the flight of stairs

<<Get up and you will have it, _Sir_ >>

Damn; she knew what that moniker did to him....

* * *

<<Now… Did that do anything to calm you?>>

<<Mh, not much, love>>

Piqued, the woman looked her husband in the eye, to find him smirking like an idiot

<<If anything, it made it harder…>>

He trailed off suggestively, and she giggled

<<Dirty old man>>

<<Dirtier old woman>>

With a kiss, he eased her on the carpeted floor

* * *

<<Babe?>>

His wife winced, whipping her head toward him with a raised eyebrow

<<You never called me that before>>

<<Well, I did now; do you like it?>>

She grinned brightly

<<Absolutely>>

Chuckling, the man helped her lay the table for lunch

<<What did you want to ask me, Sirius?>>

His voice was suddenly hesitant, uncertain

<<Why do you stay here with me all day?>>

She furrowed her brow in confusion

<<What do you mean?>>

<<You have a room waiting for you at Hogwarts, and freedom, most of all. Why do you stay here, saddled to a fugitive?>>

<<Because I love you, moron; as simple as that>>

He sighed and grabbed her hand, twining his fingers with hers

<<I want you to be happy Kay, you know that>>

<<Then let me be by your side; that’s my heart’s wish>>

Relieved, he hugged her, but he heard her mutter under her breath

<<Moron>>

<<I really hope you won’t start responding with “moron” whenever I call you babe>>

<<If you pull that shit again and ask me why I stick by your side, I will>>

<<Then I’m sorry for doing it; I’ll never do it again>>

They finally got to eat lunch together.

Living together was proving to be easy-peasy for them, against all odds. It had been going on, precisely, from the day the children had gone back to school, and the rest of the Order had abandoned Grimmauld.

The day when Sirius had become a father- officially, at least, as he had been a biological father for eighteen years already. Saying goodbye to his children, with whom he’d just reconnected, and to Harry, as well as to the other youngsters that made up his crazy, enlarged family had been hard, but it was bound to happen, and the good thing was that Hogwarts was a very, very safe place- leaving the fact that he’d once snuck inside as a wanted mass murder under the nose of Dementors aside.

Oh, how they cherished the memory of people’s reaction when they’d told them he was the twins’ father: Arthur was stupefied; Molly, on the other hand, relatively calm; Ron gaped, earning more swats on the head from Ginny and Hermione, who took the news with a smile; Tonks had given her a few digs, but actually admitted those children had “Black” written all over her.

The most adorable reaction was the twins’, Fred’s in particular: Marlene had a father. He had to hold his own against a tricky, shrewd woman, and an equally protective -and dangerous- man he idolised. His twin jokingly patted him on the back, sarcastically encouraging him.

It was heavenly, having someone with whom to talk, play, take showers -wink wink- and so on… It was almost like they were newlyweds in a happy, free world.

But that was not the truth: everyday was a constant fight against danger, to protect themselves, the people they held dear, and the kids

* * *

He’d called it

<<SIRIUS!>>

He dropped the plate he was putting in the sink, startled, and would have run to the living room, where she’d been reading until then, if she hadn’t come in the kitchen in a hurry, looking as though she’d just seen her parents face to face.

She was so alarmed she couldn’t even breathe properly; he grabbed her by the shoulders, looking into her eyes, utterly terrified

<<Kiyrah, what happened?>>

She gasped for breath and miraculously managed to bite out

<<The kids… Harry…>>

His heart missed a beat; for her to be that worried, something big must have happened

<<Talk to me, Kiyrah>>

<<They’ve gone to the Ministry!>>

<<What?!>>

She panted in distress, still

<<Harry told you he’s been having visions, right?>>

<<Yes>>

<<Well, last night he’s had one of you>>

<<Me?>>

Her eyes filled with tears, and she broke into sobs

<<You were being tortured by Voldemort…>>

He hugged her, patting her back

<<Darling, it’s not true: I am here, safe and sound>>

<<That’s not the point>>

<<Then what is it?>>

Swallowing thickly, the woman explained

<<It happened inside the Ministry; he wanted you to take the prophecy…>>

<<He must not get that>>

<<Harry has decided to go there, to save you; they all went with him>>

He paled; he could physically feel colour draining from his face

<<We have to save them>>

<<Yes; just take care not to be seen->>

<<Screw Azkaban, Kiyrah; we have to save those kids; at all costs>>

She nodded, and they darted to the fireplace

* * *

<<Don’t give it to him, Harry!>>

Neville cried out; Bellatrix pressed her wand further into his skin.

Resignedly, Harry slowly extended his hand toward Lucius’s, giving him the sphere. Once it was in his grasp, the Death Eater admired it with satisfaction, taking a deep breath.

All seemed lost, until a white glow from behind Lucius blinded Harry’s eyes

<<Get away from my godson>>

A punch flew into the blond wizard’s face before he could even recognise his assailant.

While Sirius tugged Harry away to safety, Kiyrah, Remus, Moody, Tonks, Kingsley and others appeared into the room in a pristine cloud, immediately succouring the teenagers

<<Now listen to me -Sirius began, looking at his best friend’s son- I want you to gather the others and get out of here>>

<<What? No, I’m staying with you!>>

<<You’ve done beautifully; now let me get it from here>>

<<Black>>

Lucius growled, challenging him; next to him, another wizard Harry did not know, but it didn’t matter. Spells began to fly back and forth, with booms, bangs and luminous bursts of all sorts.

Finally, the other wizard went KO; while Malfoy was distracted, Remus approached his friend

<<Pads, I’ll get it from here; go look for the rest of your family>>

Not many had been the times Sirius had felt such extreme gratitude toward his old schoolmate, but he’d tell him later. He left Harry with Remus and Kingsley, who’d just joined them, and while Tonks helped Ginny, Hermione and Luna, he ran to find the triplets

<<Expelliarmus!>>

That was James.

In fact, he turned around and spotted his darker-haired son duelling against an unknown Death Eater

<<Anaticula!>> Evan shouted, hitting another one.

In other circumstances he would have laughed: those were definitely his children.

When the attacker tried to hex them again, a duck came out of the wand, prompting laughter from father and sons

<<Oh no, we’re under a duck!>>

Sirius mentally face-palmed

<<Depulso!>>

With that, Marlene sent someone flying quite a few meters away. It wasn’t just anyone: it was his “favourite cousin”.

<<Good one, pipsqueak!>>

They all turned toward him and, upon recognition, smiled, before diving out of the way as a grim-looking light came their way

<<Dad!>>

<<You’re here!>>

It took him a moment to remember they were talking to him; he’d never really get used to being called “dad”, but the surprise only added to his happiness. He helped them up, blasting a sudden offender off

<<Of course I’m here; I’ll always be>>

Another smile, but the reunion was short-lived: Bellatrix had returned

<<Hello, cousin!>>

He fired a spell at her; she dodged, leaping down to the dais on which the Veil sat. Their wands clashed, blinding lights exploding from the tips

<<We’re related to that?!>> James grumbled, upset. His sister hit him, raising her own wand

<<Think about the fight, you big stupidhead!>>

The three of them, beside their father, sparred against his cousin and a dark-haired man with a black eye

<<Potter!>>

<<We’ll get him!>>

Exclaimed a woman with light blond, almost white hair.

Upon seeing her, he sucked in a breath. It couldn’t be...

Harry stayed beside Remus and Tonks, wand at the ready, while the woman stepped toward him, taking her place beside Lucius and another man, lanky and with a looked nose

<<Leave him alone>> Kiyrah growled, glaring venomously at the couple who had joined Malfoy.

The two smiled viciously at her, hissing

<<Hello, Estelle>>

They could basically see every hair on her head stand on end as she snarled

<<That’s not my fucking name, you bloody bastards!>>

Harry seemed lost

<<Mom, what-?>>

<<Mom?!>>

<<You raised him?!>>

<<Yes!>>

They had suddenly lost their holier-than-thou facade, replaced by a look of fury that didn’t even remotely scare her; not anymore.

The battle began; Kiyrah stood in front of the young boy, unwavering, as she fired spell after spell against her parents

<<You traitor!>>

<<Wasn’t it enough to escape the betrothal we’d set for you?!>>

<<You chose to live with that gallows bird... I’m disgusted>>

<<Now you know how I feel knowing you are my parents>> She sneered

<<Get out of the way, useless child! We will get that boy!>>

The woman was positively seething

<<Over my dead body>>

At that, her parents smirked

<<That’s feasible>>

The smirk, however, was quickly wiped from their face when their daughter aimed a red spark at their wands, sending them flying in the air many feet away.

While Sirius faced his cousin with the help of his children and, at the same time, backed them against the other Death Eaters, Kingsley and Moony protected the remaining teens, Kiyrah singlehandedly fought against her parents; not because help was wanting, but simply because she wanted no one to be on the receiving end of their wrath.

Still protective, even in that moment...

Finally, the triplets won against their opponents, and after making sure their father could handle himself, they went to help Tonks, Remus and Harry, who had become the favoured target. To be precise, James and Evan went; Marlene stayed behind to help her father, as she’d tacitly agreed with her brothers

<<Marlene, get away!>>

<<No, I’m staying with you! This bitch has to pay for what she’s done!>>

Good Godric, he loved his kids.

By the Veil, Tonks and Remus kept Lucius and his associates at bay; James and Evan stood at their mother’s sides, defending her, defending their brother and the rest of the Order.

Kiyrah’s parents had retrieved their wands.

Suddenly, Cassiopeia managed to get close enough to claw at her grandson, James’s, face.

She regretted it immediately seeing the way Kiyrah’s eyes flared with hatred.

The woman was abruptly pervaded by a homicidal fury and lunged at her mother, grabbing a handful of her hair and smashing her face against the Veil; a loud cracking noise resounded in the room.

But she wasn’t done there: she got her hands around her father’s throat and flung him halfway across the room. He landed with a thud and shakily, unsteadily, tried to stand back up

<<Don’t ever try to touch him again, assholes!>>

Evidently they took it as a provocation, because her mother, from her place on the ground by her daughter’s feet, whispered the worst unforgivable curse while aiming at her grandson

<<Avada Kedavra>>

Fortunately, Harry pulled James and Evan away from the curse’s trajectory.

But Kiyrah’s temper flared; literally.

She gnarled threateningly at the two and spat

<<Let’s see how you like this, bastards>>

She started to morph, growing bigger and bigger, darker and darker, catching everyone’s attention.

Her parents seemed to have seen a ghost

<<Impossible>>

<<It can’t be...>>

But it was.

In the end, where Kiyrah had been, stood a 30 ft Hebridean Black dragon with ebony scales and piercing purple eyes that granted it a ferocious appearance, enhanced by its size

<<The dragon. It’s- It’s->>

<<Run!>>

They barely had the time to stand up and sprint before the dragon opened its jaws, erupting red jets of fire in their direction. After a few moments, it broadened its target to any Death Eater it could see.

Gathering its intentions, the teenagers and the members of the Order hid among the rocks, crouching down while trying to watch the show unfurl

<<That... That’s the most badass animagus ever!>>

Ron was flabbergasted.

Everyone agreed

<<Dad... Did you know mom could transform into that?>> Evan asked

<<Yes... Kind of>>

The majestic beast had managed to wound her mother with a claw; satisfied, she flew behind the Veil to shift again

<<How’s that for revenge, you psychotic bitch?!>>

It was not a fatal injury, but it was consistent

<<You have injured your own mother! Traitor!>>

<<That’s not my mother, that’s just a monster who tried to harm my children. NO ONE TOUCHES MY FAMILY!>>

<<Attack!>> Lucius shouted, and the sprawl began anew.

Now that her parents were weakened, she could concentrate on her children and her friends. She was, however, mostly worried about her husband, who was now standing beside her; his cousin was crazy and deranged enough to-

<<Avada Kedavra!>>

Thank goodness, Kiyrah’s reflexes were quick enough for her to pounce on him and pull him to the ground

<<Here, Kay? Right now? Really?>>

In spite of everything, she laughed

<<I’d love to, but now we’ve got to chase your batshit cousin>>

<<I love you>>

<<Love you too>>

They, along with other members of the Order, sped after Bellatrix, while some remained with the kids, though the Death Eaters were going away.

Before going out, Kiyrah blasted her parents with a

<<Petrificus Totalus!>>

so they couldn’t escape.

Unexpectedly, upon reaching Bellatrix, they found Voldemort himself standing before them; Dumbledore appeared, and the duel between them was spectacular.

Bellatrix was gone, vanished in one of the Ministry’s fireplaces, but one of her friends was still there, and he lunged at Kiyrah, wrapping an arm around her neck

<<Mom!>>

<<Kiyrah!>>

<<Silence!>> The man hollered, louring at them. Then, he murmured in her ear

<<You remember me, _Estelle_?>>

She bared her teeth, struggling against him, but he held his wand to her temple

<<It’s me, your _husband_ >>

Sirius saw red

<<I’m her husband, you bastard!>>

The man looked at him with disgust and amusement

<<So you jilted me to run back to your Black bastard! And to have his children!>> He continued, glaring at Marlene, James and Evan

<<Very well, Estelle. I’m here to finish the job I started twenty years ago>>

Her eyes widened as she understood his reference, and horrified looks spread on the faces of the bystanders

<<No, no, no!>>

<<Yes! Here, in front of your children, and the man you profess to love! Ha! If _he_ loved _you_ , he wouldn’t have abandoned you!>>

That last comment particularly annoyed Sirius, but he couldn’t do anything while he had a wand

<<Leave her alone>> He ordered.

The other man laughed sardonically

<<Or?>>

<<If you harm her, I’ll kill you>>

<<Just try, and you can tell her goodbye>>

To emphasise his point, he pressed the wand more against her cheek.

Thus, Sirius decided to trick him: he held his hands up, feigning a surrender; in reality, he was very good at wandless and nonverbal magic, as the people he’d attended school with knew.

In fact, a few seconds later, snow was falling onto Carrow’s head, getting into his hair and eyes, effectively distracting him.

That was all his wife needed.

Instantly, she stepped on his toes, elbowed him in the stomach and head-butted him in the face, making him scream in pain; then, she turned around and kneed him in the groin, with vehemence

<<It’ll be hard for you to procreate now, assuming you ever had a chance>>

The Death Eater fell to the floor, and they all turned to observe the two opponents’ exceptional hexes and powerful incantation; it was an even duel.

In the meantime, however, Kiyrah took Sirius’s hands, pulling him away

<<We have to go: you can’t be found in here>>

He was touched by her concern and knew she was perfectly right, so he followed her to a fireplace, after telling his children and his friends that they’d meet at his house after that.

Then, they disappeared in the green flames.

* * *

As soon as they were back at his house, he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her soundly, with abandonment, gripping her tightly as if to ensure she was really there; she was evidently taken aback by his enthusiasm, but complied nonetheless.

When he finally let her go, she was dazed

<<Love, what happened?>>

He was clearly agitated, not letting go of her at all

<<When I... When I saw you in his hold... I was afraid you...>>

Looking into her eyes, he ground out

<<I was afraid I’d lose you>>

That made her tear up and smile, caressing his cheek; he leaned against her touch, glancing at her longingly

<<Darling, you saved my life. I don’t know how to thank you>>

<<Just stay alive and well, with me>>

<<Alright...>>

She kissed him; it was soft at the beginning, but he immediately took it further, pouring into it all the anguish he’d felt when that murderer had had her at his mercy, wand against cheek, seemingly with no chance. As the kiss grew more heated, they felt the impelling need to touch each other, discover each other again, to unite as one.

Just to reassure themselves they were still alive and kicking, for themselves, for each other and their family.

His hands peeled her dusty shirt from her, following with her jeans and underwear, while she took care of his clothes. They left a trail of garments on the floor, but in that moment, they didn’t really care; they simply apparated to his room and consummated their newly found love, letting their passion, instincts and bodies speak for them. It was romantic and emotional, but also animalistic and wild; it was so many things together that it worn them out, physically and mentally, even more than the battle had.

Who gave a damn about Muffliato, locked doors or common decency; maybe later, when their brains would finally recover from the cloud that had obscured their judgement, they would collect their clothes and hide them, pretending nothing had happened.

But it had.

And their hearts were on the verge of bursting with it

<<I love you, Sirius>>

<<I love you too, Kay>>


	18. Raging on a Sunday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I should be at church but I'm ragin' on a Sunday  
> Lot to confess, fuck it, worry 'bout it some day  
> Baptizin' the crowd 'cause they lookin' pretty thirsty  
> (Save me from myself and take me to the promised land)
> 
> (Bohnes)

A while later a whole load of people flooded their house; immediately, when they saw them, Sirius and Kiyrah rushed to hug their children and Harry.

Then, the woman furrowed and berated her youngest

<<You fool! You shouldn’t have gone there! What if we hadn’t found out?! What if we had come too late?!>>

Her husband tried to calm her, but it didn’t work

<<Darling, all went well, we should just->>

<<No! He must see the dangers he ran>>

<<He does, I’m sure of it>>

<<I’m sorry, mom>>

Hearing that, Kiyrah finally interrupted her outburst

<<I’m very sorry, but I… After what happened with Mr Weasley I… I didn’t want to lose Sirius>>

That softened both man and wife like ice cream in the sun; Sirius wrapped his arms around the boy, while Kiyrah patted his back

<<It’s ok, sweetheart; I’m just freaking out because you scared us>>

<<I know, I know and I’m sorry. I didn’t want to involve anyone, but->>

<<Do you really think we would let our brother save our father alone?! No way!>> Marlene stated loudly, making them chuckle

<<Absolutely! It’s our family you’re talking about>>

<<Alright, now stop boasting>> Kiyrah teased, pinching her son’s cheek; he laughed

<<By the way, mom, that is the coolest Animagus ever!>>

<<Bloody fantastic!>> Ron agreed, prompting laughter from everyone.

In the meantime, both she and her husband had noticed a tension between Tonks and Remus. With a wicked grin on her lips, Kiyrah decided to “help” them

<<Well, why don’t you join us in the kitchen for a snack? Then you can go back home>>

Obviously, all teens agreed, and followed the pair in the room; before closing the door, Sirius turned to look at his best mate with a shit-eating grin

_“That’s for all the times you “helped” me with Kiyrah, Moony”_

* * *

<<You like the chocolate?>>

<<Who doesn’t?>>

<<Oh, Ron…>>

They shared a laugh, and then the interrogation began

<<So, Mrs Black->>

At that, Kiyrah’s eyes grew wide; so did Sirius’s and the triplets. The rest of the teens were addled

<<Oh… What do we call you?>>

<<Kiyrah’s just fine, sweetie>>

<<But you _are_ Mrs Black, aren’t you?>>

At a loss for words, she turned toward her significant other

<<I don’t know what to say…>>

<<But you said you are married!>> Marlene piped up

<<Yeah, you did>>

Fortunately, Sirius intervened; he took Kiyrah’s hand and smiled at her

<<We _were_ married, but I ran away from home a little later; that does put a damper on our marriage. Furthermore, we’ve spent more or less twenty years apart…>>

<<But you never did get a divorce, did you?>> Evan asked, unnerved.

His mother smiled sweetly, pinching his cheek

<<No, we didn’t. But if my “parents” thought his flight meant it was null, then maybe it really is null>>

<<It just means we need to get married again>> Sirius declared simply; Kiyrah gaped

<<Why are you looking at me like that, darling? I thought I’d made myself clear about my intentions toward you>>

She stammered, utterly speechless

<<Y-You did… I-I just… I never thought about getting married again>>

With a kiss to the hand, he entreated

<<Well, do think about it, Kay>>

The woman beamed, grinning like an idiot

<<I will>>

<<Then… It’s Mrs Black?>>

<<Not yet>>

<<Soon>>

She giggled with excitement; her husband thought she looked absolutely adorable

<<Anyway, call me Kiyrah, please: Mrs Black makes me think about the hag whose portrait is shut inside some room around here>>

<<You still need to tell me where, love>>

<<Nah… She can rot in there as far as I’m concerned>>

<<Do we have a sane grandmother? Grandparent? At all?>>

Both parents replied immediately, without even thinking about it

<<Minnie>>

<<Who?>>

<<Minerva>>

<<Professor McGonagall>>

<<Wow…>>

<<Were those two Death Eaters… Really your parents?>> Hermione questioned hesitantly.

Kiyrah shrugged

<<Yes, they were; but they’ve never really been my mom and dad>>

<<I’m sorry…>>

<<Oh don’t be, sweetie: I’ve known lots of wonderful people in my life, like Harry’s grandparents>>

That was new for Sirius

<<James’s mum and dad?>>

<<Yes; that’s why I named the kids after them. They helped me a lot, when I went to their house with you>>

<<I hate that I don’t remember that>> He grumbled.

Kiyrah sighed

<<Honey…>>

<<There are ways to reverse memory spells>> Hermione informed them.

Sirius arched an eyebrow

<<Torture? We’ve had enough of that, the both of us>>

<<No, not that; if it’s not too powerful a spell, it can be reversed with a counter-spell>>

Get all his memories back? His _real_ memories of his wife? Hell yes.

He felt hope blossom inside his heart, and a smile curve his lips

<<Are you for real?>>

<<Yes. If it’s not Obliviate…>>

It brusquely died when the young witch said that

<<Oh. That’s too bad…>>

<<No, baby, it’s not>>

<<What?>> He turned toward his wife, puzzlement written all over his face

<<I merely twisted your memories; I never wiped your minds blank>>

The hope and smile came back in full force, and he fidgeted in his seat

<<Really? So it’s reversible?>>

She blushed

<<That was actually my surprise for your birthday, since it’s coming up… I’ve been working on a way to fix both your and Rem-Rem’s memories, permanently>>

For a moment, he stayed still. Then, just when everyone in the room was starting to worry, he cupped her face in his hands and planted a sound kiss on her lips

<<Thank you>>

<<You’re welcome, darling>>

<<Ew!>> James and Evan were disgusted.

Their sister swatted both of them on the back of their neck

<<Stop being so idiotic!>>

The scene made the whole room burst into hysterics

<<Anyway, Ron, what did you want to ask me?>>

<<Oh, yes… How long have you been able to transform into a dragon?>>

<<Since I was fifteen; I learned how to do it while the Marauders acquired their own forms>>

<<You didn’t train with them?>>

<<No; my form needed much more space, and practice. They were quite… Flabbergasted when I told them>>

<<You bet we were…>>

<<It is uncommon for a wizard or a witch to have such an animagus>>

Came the clarification from Hermione. Kiyrah nodded

<<I know, but there have been two or three people in my family tree that have accomplished it>>

<<Really?>>

<<Yeah>>

<<That’s why they spoke about a dragon with such shock?>> Harry asked; it was plainly obvious who he was talking about

<<No… What they meant was- Bloody hell!>>

<<What? What happened?>>

<<The prophecy… My parents had a prophecy made, many years ago… It said that a dragon would bring them to their knees. _I_ am that dragon!>>

<<That’s awesome, mom>>

<<Oh, it is! I’ve defeated them!>>  
Her husband smiled, laughing at her face

<<You did, love; I’m very happy for you>>

She hugged him tightly, still smiling

<<Thank you, Sirius; nothing would be the way it is if it weren’t for you>>

<<That sounds like a critic>>

<<It is not; not at all>>

<<Good>>

They wanted to kiss, but let it slide for the sake of the kids

<<By the way, what do you three transform into?>> He asked, looking at his children

<<A lion>> Replied Evan

<<I’m a bear>> James answered

<<A wolf>>

When Marlene said that, his eyebrows rose high on his forehead

<<Really?>>

<<Yes; a big, black wolf>>

He smiled so bright that the room shone with new light, and looked at his children’s faces again, as if trying to memorise them lest he would forget them; he never would. He just couldn’t.

Those three… They were his life, like their mother, and Harry.

Maybe… Maybe they could have some more? He’d really like to actually raise a child, from the beginning…

<<Dad?>>

<<What?>>

<<You’re staring>>

<<Oh. Oh, ok. Sorry>>

They laughed. Kiyrah hugged him sideways, pecking his cheek

<<You’re adorable, sweetheart>>

<<That’s my line!>>

<<I like stealing your things>> She joked, referring to a memory he’d nabbed from her room and watched with their favourite werewolf. He caught on, and decided to tease her

<<Just like you have stolen my heart>>

Victory! She flushed so deep he thought all her blood had concentrated in the cheeks

<<Silly man>>

<<That I am>>

With a giggle, ignoring the protests of the teens, they kissed.

* * *

After they had sent everyone back home, the only teenagers left were the triplets and Harry; the school year was basically over, so they would be seeing each other soon anyway.

While the four siblings played games in their bedroom, Kingsley was talking with Kiyrah, who held onto Sirius like a lifeline; that particular topic made her nervous, if not annoyed

<<You will be summoned to the Ministry in a while, to dispose of your parents’ property>>

<<Is there any evidence that I was involved in the attack?>>

<<I made sure to fix things with the Ministry, otherwise the whole Order would be compromised>>

<<Did you take care of her parents, too? They will be extremely eager to prove she participated in the reprisal>>

Sirius asked his friend; he could physically sense how stiff she was: just the mention of those two Death Eater enthusiasts curbed her peace of mind, even years after she’d run away

<<They are already locked in Azkaban, like Mr. Carrow; the rest of them will not testify against her, obviously, so they have no chance: their invective will be dismissed>>

Unexpectedly, Kiyrah snickered, mischief written on her grin

<<There is no need to worry: I took care of them>>

The two men were, reasonably, perplexed; that only made her laugh harder.

Finally, Sirius felt a lighting bulb turn on, and his eyebrows shot up high on his forehead

<<You didn’t…>>

<<Yes I did!>>

He erupted in hysterics, clamped his hands on her hips and spun her in the air, slightly incredulous

<<You are one sly cupcake, Kay>>

She flushed, looking into his eyes

<<I know, darling. Now please, put me down>>

<<Only because we’re in the middle of something important>>

Once he’d followed through with her request, she explained the reason behind their merriment to the Auror

<<I’ve twisted their memory, so they have no recollection of me or my children being there, at all>>

He seemed impressed

<<All three of them?>>

<<Yes>>

<<Good job, Kiyrah>>

<<Thank you. You can stay, if you want to>>

<<Oh, thank you, but I have urgent business to attend to. I’ll see you when you’re sent for>>

<<Alright>>

When he was gone, Remus approached the two, a smirk on his lips

<<Who knew your talent would come in handy, Kiyrah>>

She floundered, looking away

<<Rem-Rem, you know why I did what I’ve done… I wish it could have been different, but I really had no choice…>>

<<I know, Kiyrah; I’m not mad at you. Actually, I never got to thank you for looking after me and my friends all this time; it makes me feel better to know that I didn’t actually treat you as bad as I remember>>

<<How would you feel if I told you that I could reverse the spell?>>

The man blinked, as if he wasn’t sure he’d heard correctly

<<You mean that?>>

Sirius snorted

<<I’ve detected a considerable decline in the usage of a certain adjective, and I do not like it>>

His interlocutors chuckled, before Remus returned his attention to the woman

<<You really mean that? We could… We could get all our memories back?>>

<<Yes: I’ve been working on the counter-spell as a birthday present for our one and only Padfoot>>

The wizard in question sniggered, nuzzling his head against her hair

<<You could have opted for something simpler, love…>>

The woman blushed so much her skin was actually the colour of tomatoes, and she shoved him away

<<You idiot; I know you want to get your memories back, deep down>>

At that, her husband turned “serious”, and smiled brightly; he grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her in front of him, so he could look her in the eyes

<<Deep down? I would _love_ to remember you as you were, the real you; to bring back everything we’ve been through, good or bad… It would be the most amazing birthday present ever, darling. Of course, keeping in mind that I already got you back, and we have kids; otherwise, it would be a close second>>

His wife’s eyes were glazed with tears, and she hugged him so tightly his vertebrae popped, but he didn’t care. It actually eased the tension in his back

<<That was the most heart-meltingly sweet and touching thing anyone ever said to me>>

<<And it came out of him!>> Remus joked, prompting laughter and a dig with the elbow in his side from his best friend

<<Watch it, Moony>>

<<For the record, this mutt can be very mature and considerate, when he wants to>>

<<Rarely. When do you intend to perform this counter-spell?>>

She hesitated, popping her head out from the crook of her husband’s neck, biting her lips

<<After his birthday. But if you don’t…>>

<<What, Kay?>>

<<Do you trust me to meddle with your brains again?>>

<<Why shouldn’t we? Nothing bad ever happened>>

<<But this is a different kind of spell, and I never tested it on anyone…>>

<<Why, did you twist someone else’s memories before doing it to us?>>

She mumbled something, but they didn’t understand

<<What?>>

<<Some Slytherin kids that annoyed me during pureblood get-togethers>>

The two wizards laughed; Sirius pecked her head

<<You’re wonderful, sweetheart>>

She melted into his arms, sighing happily

<<Thank you, darling; so are you>>

Remus smiled at the scene: he had hoped they would get back together again, for both of them, and their children. Seeing them so close, so happy, as a couple and as a family, really warmed his heart. After everything they’d been through, they both deserved some happiness.

His mind went to Dora, and the discussion they’d had before. He knew Sirius and Kiyrah had “accidentally” locked them out of the kitchen on purpose, and he’d mentally cussed them out, but he’d probably earned it, after meddling with their lives so much; his intentions were the best. Of course, theirs too, but it didn’t make it any less awkward…

It might have seemed weird that his mind offered him images of the iridescent-haired witch when he was thinking about happiness, but to him, it really wasn’t; he knew he liked her, and a lot… He just pushed her away because he thought he was too poor for her, too dangerous, too old… But if there was something to learn from Sirius and Kiyrah’s ramshackle union it was to never, ever take things for granted. He was a good guy, right? He deserved to be happy. And if being with her would make her happy, it would only add to his own gladness.

He’d also learned, from his friends, that being too pigheaded never brought anything good; wasn’t that what he was doing? He actually had no idea. But deep down, he knew he couldn’t go on with the “aloof” act for long… Sooner or later, she would make him capitulate; and he knew that, when that would happen, he would imprecate against himself for not surrendering sooner, and having lost so much time.

Was that being stupid and stubborn? Yes; absolutely. Perhaps he wasn’t so apt at learning, beside school subjects…  
However, he did know that those two wouldn’t resurface from their little private world for a while, so he had better leave them alone, and go brood over his love life somewhere else

* * *

<<Mh? Where did he go?>>

<<He left? I didn’t notice!>>

They burst into laughter, shaking their heads

<<Poor Moony; we must have embarrassed him>>

<<Hey, if he weren’t such a dunce, he would be doing this with Dora right now>>

He squeezed her tighter, to emphasise what “this” was

<<Love, it’s complicated. Rem-Rem is so shy…>>

<<My cousin has undoubtedly made her intentions clear, more than once!>>

<<Yes, but… He’s being noble by rejecting her>>

<<He’s hurting her>>

<<He doesn’t want to hurt her in worse ways>>

<<Like what, a werewolf bite? As she has repeated thousand times, she doesn’t care! Also, think about how cute their puppies would be…>>

She snorted, unable to control her laughter

<<You idiot>>

<<You love me>>

<<I do, but it doesn’t make you any less of an idiot>>

<<My idiocy makes you love me more, though>>

Flustered, Kiyrah cried out in indignation

<<You are a hopeless case>>

Unperturbed, her husband shrugged and headed down the stairs

<<I’m going to take a nap, Sirius: I’m knackered>>

<<Alright. Goodnight love>>

He hastily ran up the stairs, pecked her cheek and retraced his steps to go check on the four younger Marauders, while Kiyrah walked toward the bedroom

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter is the direct continuation of this one


	19. You Are the Reason

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There goes my hands shaking  
> And you are the reason  
> My heart keeps bleeding  
> I need you now  
> If I could turn back the clock  
> I'd make sure the light defeated the dark  
> I'd spend every hour of every day  
> Keeping you safe
> 
> I'd climb every mountain  
> And swim every ocean  
> Just to be with you  
> And fix what I've broken  
> Oh, 'cause I need you to see  
> That you are the reason
> 
> (Calum Scott)

<<What are you lot doing in here?>>

He opened the door, to find the four sitting cross-legged in a circle; Harry had a weird object in his hands that looked like a piñata... Very reassuring

<<What’s that?>>

<<We’re playing hot potato with this gizmo that Fred and George gave us months ago>>

That caught his interest; he observed the youngest boy with a grin: the traces of confetti in his hair, coupled with the slight tilt in his glasses, left no doubt

<<You lost, haven’t you?>>

Harry chortled, shrugging

<<I never, ever win with these three>>

With a huge grin, Sirius praised his children

<<May I join you, rascals?>>

<<Sure! Where do you want to sit?>>

<<There>>

He took place between Harry and Evan, grabbing the what-d’yer-call-it from the former

<<Clockwise?>>

<<As you wish>>

It went on for a while. For some reason, Harry always lost; and the four Blacks laughed at him

<<Very funny, guys. You tampered with this thing, didn’t you?>>

<<No, we didn’t! You’re just unlucky!>>

<<Sure… And I’m supposed to buy that>>

<<We didn’t charm it or anything, I swear!>>

<<Scouts honour>>

<<Idiot>>

Sirius observed them, delighted. He’d always wanted to see his best friends’ children play alongside his own; too bad Harry would never have any siblings… Well, biological siblings; Marlene, James and Evan were his brothers and sister in anything but blood. Good thing Kiyrah adopted Harry, fifteen years prior: he wouldn’t have been even remotely as happy, growing up with Lily’s sister and her husband; they weren’t nice.

Looking at them, he was reminded of the days, and nights, he and James spent together, sometimes even with Remus and, much to his chagrin -he couldn’t help but growl at the thought of the rat- Peter. Who, among his children, reminded him the most of his younger self? It was difficult to say, if not impossible: they had all his hotheadedness and recklessness, but also a healthy dose of cheek and deviousness. Of course Harry never won against them: it was an uneven fight.

Another turn had started, and the explosive contraption was being passed from hand to hand with increasing rapidity.

He loved being with his kids, playing with them like that: after all, he hadn’t done much playing in his childhood, and he had to make up for the twelve years he’d lost because of the turncoat that was once their friend.  
Again, the thought of himself with small children came back.

He wanted to have more kids.

Was he ready for that? Hell yes. He had been good with Harry as a baby, and he was good with kids in general, he thought.

What would Kiyrah say?

He knew she was crazy about their three pups, and Harry, too, as well as any boy or girl that was the son or daughter of a member of the Order; in short, she loved kids. He’d never seen her with a newborn, but for her to have raised four on her own, with just Minerva’s help, she must have been a pro.

That didn’t mean she would say yes though.

Perhaps she would think it’d be too tiring, or maybe she was scared the triplets and Harry would take it badly.

To be honest, he feared that too: when you get right down to it, he hadn’t been there for the majority of their lives; how could they not be jealous of a newborn who suddenly hogged all their parents’ time and energy, and had their unconditional love since the beginning? He knew what it felt like to be left out, especially when there was his younger brother, whom his parents had always favoured over him; he wouldn’t do that to his own children.

He would never love any of them less just because there would be another bundle of joy around the house.

No. He would never, ever do that to his own children; no way.

But still, they could take it the wrong way.

They had accepted him as their father very quickly, which he had not expected at all. Maybe… Maybe they could accept that too?

Anyhow, all this conjectures would come to nothing if Kiyrah refused to have more children. Yes, they slept together often, but there were may ways to avoid conception.

He had to talk to her about it. But first…

<<Ha! Finally, I didn’t lose!>> Harry gloated, pointing at Sirius, who had confetti in his hair and on his clothes

<<Dad! Why didn’t you hand it over to James?>>

<<You held it for a good five minutes!>>

When their father didn’t answer, they grew concerned: he just stared at the widget in his grasp as if it contained the solution to a terrible conundrum

<<Dad!?>>

When Evan shook him by the shoulder, he snapped out of it

<<Oh, right. Sorry, I got distracted>>

<<We noticed. Anyway, it counts as losing, unfortunately>>

<<Fine, fine. I… I have a question for you>>

Filled with curiosity, the four teens leaned in

<<Shoot>>

<<If I, hypothetically speaking, were to…>>

<<Were to what?>>

<<Don’t keep us on tenterhooks>>

Sirius harrumphed, not lifting his gaze from the weird object they’d been playing with

<<If I wanted to propose to your mother -again- would you help me?>>

The result of his confession were four gaping teenagers staring at him as if he’d grown a third eye

<<What? Why are you looking at me like that?>>

Suddenly, they shrieked and tackled him in a hug, laughing

<<Yes, yes, YES!>>

<<Marley, mom’s the one getting proposed to, not you>>

<<Shut it, you troll. I’m just very, very happy!>>

<<You wouldn’t mind, I gather>> Sirius joked.

Evan shouted

<<Wouldn’t mind? It would be awesome if you got married again!>>

<<Do you… Do you think she’ll say yes?>>

That earned him a series of “are-you-kidding-me?” looks

<<Are you serious?!>>

At last! Good Godric, he loved these kids to bits

<<Of course I am>>

<<Ha; lame>>

<< You handed me the joke on a silver platter!>>

<<Yeah, sure…>>

<<Anyway, _seriously_? Of course she’ll say yes>>

<<You are making heart-eyes at one another all the time>>

<<How did you propose last time?>>

At that question, Sirius blushed. Thank goodness his hair was loose, and it hid his cheeks. He remembered very well the memory in question: what they had been doing, the effect it had on him…

Kiyrah had teased him about it afterwards.

He feigned ignorance

<<I don’t remember… It must be one of the memories your mother twisted>>

<<She twisted your memories!?>>

<<And your uncle Moony’s, as well as Harry’s parents’… I thought you knew>>

The stupor on their faces told him something else entirely though

<<No, we didn’t!>>

<<Well, she did tell you she pushed me away; I was there>>

<<But tampering with people’s minds… It can be dangerous>>

<<Yeah; it can cause irreparable damage>>

<<It was the only way...>>

<<I guess in your case there wasn’t much more damage that could be done, uh?>>

Marlene jeered; he shook his head, amused, as her siblings laughed at his expense

<<You’re always so caustic, pipsqueak>>

The nickname elicited a groan from the girl

<<Stop calling me that, dad!>>

<<Never>> He chuckled

<<You son of a Murtlap>> She mumbled; he heard her, though

<<That’s highly offensive, my dear. To the Murtlap; comparing it to my parents… Poor thing>>

They laughed together, and Marlene hugged him; he hugged her back, smiling

<<Go for it, dad; mom will be beside herself with joy>>

He let his eyes swipe over their expressions one by one, and was met with heartfelt smiles and twinkling eyes

<<Do you have something in mind already?>>

He had been waiting for that question.

Bouncing the thingy in his hand a few times, he snickered

<<How about a family “hot potato” tournament?>>

When they realised his idea, they all shrieked approvingly

<<That’s awesome! She’ll never see it coming!>>

<<Oh, don’t underestimate your mother like that, Evan; she’s one of a kind>>

<<Bleah, you’re so in love… You’re giving me cavities>>

Marlene. Again.

This time, though, her father had a retort ready on the tip of his tongue

<<Shut up, missy; you and Little Orphan Annie are even worse>>

The indignant “o” her mouth morphed into gave him so much satisfaction, he couldn’t help but smirk cheekily, while Harry, James and Evan slapped each other on the shoulder as they laughed too much

<<I was supposed to be the caustic one, dad>>

<<You don’t have anything to teach to the master of the craft, darling>>

She pulled herself together, grinning deviously

<<You’re right about that, Mr Black>>

It was his turn to be indignant; his lips pressed into a thin line as he loured at his daughter while the boys kept laughing, immensely enjoying their repartee

<<You’re so going to pay for that, Marlene>>

<<I’m quaking with fear>>

<<As you should be. Now, off to bed, it’s late>>

They groaned in unison

<<We’re not ten, dad!>>

<<No, you’re five. To bed>>

Begrudgingly, they obeyed, tidying up and diving under the covers

<<Goodnight>>

<<Night dad>>  
<<G’night>>

<<Night>>

<<Goodnight>>

As he descended the stairs, he smiled as he thought of how his life would be with more kids around: just those four brought him so much joy and fun already…

He knew it would be very difficult, what with the sleepless nights, changing nappies and the crying, but he… He really wanted to be a father again; he just hoped Kiyrah would agree.

And not just to that.

* * *

When he entered the bedroom, he spotted his wife happily snoozing on the mattress. If he knew a thing about Kiyrah, it was that she didn’t like to sleep: the events of the last days must have really worn her out.

He doffed his clothes and climbed into bed with her, observing her sleeping face: her hair was sprawled everywhere, some strands even in her face, which he smoothed away and tucked behind her ear; her expression was peaceful, even smiling, something he’s only seen in her memories before he’d reunited with her. It was nice to be there with her, as a normal couple who got into bed together after giving their kids a goodnight kiss.

In that moment, he realised just how much he wanted to see her with a baby; just the thought was insanely beautiful, so he could imagine what the real thing would be like…  
“Please, love, please say yes”

Sensing the tiredness seeping through his limbs, he snuggled closer to Kiyrah, wrapping his arms around her and laying a kiss to her nose; she scrunched her face, and he chuckled

<<I love you>>

He could have sworn he’d seen her smile widen.

* * *

The next morning, they received a visit from Kingsley

<<Hello, Kingsley>>

<<Good morning, Kiyrah; Sirius>>

<<Hello. Is everything ok?>>

The Auror smiled, looking at the woman

<<You’ve been summoned to the Ministry, Kiyrah>>

Both she and her husband cringed, but she softly pinched his cheek, smiling encouragingly

<<I’ll be back in the bat of an eye, Pads>>

<<Back from where, mom?>>

Four youngsters stampeded in the living room, curiosity and their innate rashness guiding them; their parents snickered fondly, Sirius pressing his lips to Kiyrah’s cheek

<<The Ministry, you snoopers; I have to settle my inheritance>>

With a tilted head, Marlene asked

<<I’m sorry to bring it up mommy, but hadn’t they disowned you?>>

<<Straight to the point as always, my dear; we’ll see how it goes. I don’t really care for my parents’ properties and riches anyway, but they could be useful for the Order, and for you>>

All four teens turned up their nose at that, shaking their heads

<<Thank you for always putting our welfare above everything, mom>>

<<But we want nothing to do with that stuff>>

<<It comes from horrible people that made our parents suffer, and deprived us of a father>>

<<We can hardly imagine how hard it must be for you to be confronted about this>>

Feeling tears prickle in her eyes, she stepped forward to hug her children, deeply touched by their concern

<<You are wonderful, darlings; all of you>>

<<We come from wonderful parents>>

That swayed Sirius too: he had always witnessed the triplets and Harry praising their mother for being a grade A parent before, without ever referencing the other side of the medal. They’d learned not to ask, after all.

However, now that the face on the other side of the medal had been revealed… They had accepted him gladly, with smiles and open arms, whereas he expected almost a series of trials to earn their trust. Probably -surely- the fact that they had liked him from the beginning, before either party found out about their relation, had tipped the balance in his favour, but anyway, he was elated to have a real family, finally

<<That’s right, and don’t you forget it. Now let your mother go so she can get it over with>>

<<Alright>>

Before stepping in the fireplace, she threw a smile his way, which he reciprocated with one of his own

* * *

<<Dad?>>

<<Yes?>>

<<Will you come upstairs with us?>>

<<Sure. What for?>>

<<We were arranging our things, you know… Since this is where we live now>>

His eyebrows rose

<<Really? What about your grandmother at Hogwarts?>>

<<You can’t come with us to live there>>

He hadn’t thought about that

<<Good point. But it seems highly unfair to lock you up in this dungeon, when you have a life to live…>>

<<Hush, we’ve decided already, and we agree with mom: we’ve lost enough time with you, without making a fuss about our accommodation>>

Marlene filled in. James supported her argument

<<We’ve spent enough time at school by now>>

<<One thing was just mom living there as granny’s adopted daughter, but the four of us, permanently residing there… Uh uh>>

Evan added. Lastly, Harry commented

<<Besides, you’d miss us too much. And we know how hard being trapped here is already…>>

The black-haired man was absolutely befuddled

<<You are bloody incredible…>>

<<Yeah, we know. Anyway, we noticed we have no pictures with you.

Care to fix that?>>

A humongous grin threatened to split Sirius’s face in halves

<<I’d love to>>

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kiyrah's been summoned to the Ministry... Maybe she'll finally lash out -both verbally and physically- at the Minister as she meant to years earlier.  
> Finally her parents are out of the way... Right?
> 
> Still, Sirius FINALLY gets his chance to have a family again. What will Kiyrah say?  
> They do both deserve some reprieve.
> 
> Also, I have a question. Since Marlene is with Fred, who should I pair James and Evan with? Do you guys have any ideas?  
> Let me know what you think 😊


End file.
